Cambridge City Hall Annex Renovation

Overview

Location: Cambridge, MA
Building type(s): Commercial office
Renovation of a historic 1871 building
33,200 ft2 (3,090 m2)
Project scope: 4-story building
Urban setting
Completed February 2004
Rating: U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Gold

The renovation of Cambridge City Hall Annex was a first-of-its-kind greening initiative implemented by city management to set an example of sustainable green construction in Cambridge municipal buildings. The project's major goals were to increase energy efficiency, utilize renewable energy and sustainable building design principles, and preserve the building's historic appearance and mission. The design team sought to conform to Gold certification standards under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The building's green features have provided valuable educational benefits to internal and external stakeholders.

Environmental Aspects

The project's notable environmental aspects fall into three broad categories:

1. Energy efficiency improvements, including a high-efficiency indirect lighting system with daylight controls and occupancy sensors for personal and system-wide dimming control, a ground source heat pump to meet the building's heating and cooling needs, demand control ventilation, and renewable electricity generation through the photovoltaic system.

2. Reduced waste, including reuse of the existing building and preservation of the historic facade, implementation of a construction waste management plan, and use of Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.

3. Creation of a healthy indoor environment through features including carbon dioxide monitoring, displacement ventilation in assembly spaces, implementation of an indoor air quality protection plan, use of low-emitting materials, and maximized daylighting.

Owner & Occupancy

Owned and occupied by City of Cambridge, Local government
Typically occupied by 109 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 400 visitors per week

Cambridge City Hall Annex houses five City of Cambridge departments.

Building Programs

Indoor Spaces:	Office, Mechanical systems, Lobby/reception, Conference, Restrooms
Outdoor Spaces:	Garden—decorative, Pedestrian/non-motorized vehicle path, Patio/hardscape, Parking

Keywords

Green framework, Green specifications, Contracting, Commissioning, Transportation benefits, Open space preservation, Insulation levels, Glazing, Passive solar, HVAC, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, On-site renewable electricity, Benign materials, Recycled materials, Certified wood, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Ventilation effectiveness, Moisture control, Thermal comfort, Low-emitting materials, Indoor air quality monitoring

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Process

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