Doyle Conservation Center (DCC)
Overview
- Location: Leominster, MA
- Building type(s): Commercial office, Assembly
- 82% new construction, 18% renovation
- 22,000 ft2 (2,040 m2)
- Project scope: 2 2-story buildings
18,000 ft2 (1,670 m2)
4,000 ft2 (372 m2) - Rural setting
- Completed June 2004
- Rating: U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Gold
Built on a 50-acre reservation in Leominster, the Doyle Conservation Center (DCC) houses core Trustees staff and serves as a central training facility that showcases the organization's conservation activities. The DCC's LEED Gold rating reflects the mission of the Trustees of Reservations, which is "To preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts." The DCC is accessible to the public and is often rented out by various groups and organizations. Making the center available for private functions publicizes its green features to the surrounding community.
Environmental Aspects
The DCC was designed with numerous green features, from its site to its waste treatment system. The center is located on a previously disturbed area (the backyard of a pre-existing house), and has a small building footprint that maximizes open space. Showers and changing rooms are available for bicyclists, and the parking lot was built as small as local zoning requirements would allow to encourage visitors to use alternative forms of transportation.
Photovoltaic panels on the roof produce 28 MWh of electric power per year, and two 1,500-foot geothermal wells reduce demand for heating and cooling. Ninety percent of the building is naturally lit and every office has a view. Detention ponds and bioswales filter stormwater runoff from the building and foster wildlife. Solid waste treatment is handled on site with user-friendly composting toilets and waterless urinals.
The center has many green furnishings with recycled content. Desktops are made of agricultural byproducts, sink counters are made entirely from reclaimed materials, flooring is made of bamboo and cork. Carpets have 25% recycled content, and the acoustic wall fabric is also 100% recycled.
Owner & Occupancy
- Owned and occupied by Trustees of Reservations, Corporation, nonprofit
- Typically occupied by 40 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 55 visitors per week, 2 hours per visitor per week
The DCC's meeting space can accommodate 150 people and its office space has room for 40 employees.
Building Programs
Indoor Spaces: |
Public assembly, Conference, Electrical systems, Circulation, Mechanical systems, Office, Restrooms, Lobby/reception |
Outdoor Spaces: |
Pedestrian/non-motorized vehicle path, Patio/hardscape, Restored landscape, Drives/roadway, Interpretive landscape, Parking |
Keywords
Integrated team, Green framework, Green specifications, Contracting, Performance measurement and verification, Operations and maintenance, Transportation benefits, Open space preservation, Wildlife habitat, Wetlands, Indigenous vegetation, Stormwater management, Water harvesting, Efficient fixtures and appliances, Efficient irrigation, Drought-tolerant landscaping, Graywater, Wastewater treatment, Massing and orientation, Insulation levels, Airtightness, Passive solar, HVAC, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, On-site renewable electricity, Durability, Benign materials, Recycled materials, Local materials, C&D waste management, Connection to outdoors, Daylighting, Ventilation effectiveness, Thermal comfort, Noise control, Low-emitting materials, Indoor air quality monitoring
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