Oct 9 2014
Senior Housing Properties Trust today announced that the Vertex Pharmaceuticals biotech buildings located in Boston’s Seaport District have been formally awarded LEED® Gold Certification. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
David Hegarty, President and Chief Operating Officer of SNH, made the following statement:
“We are very pleased to report that the Vertex Pharmaceuticals buildings have formally earned the prestigious LEED Gold certification. We would like to thank the developer, The Fallon Company, for their commitment to best-in-class environmental design and construction of the buildings which we are proud to own.”
11 Fan Pier and 50 Northern Avenue achieved LEED Gold certifications for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.
Notable project achievements include:
Sustainable Sites
- Exceptional access to Boston’s public transportation systems.
- Covered bicycle storage and shower/changing facilities.
- 41 dedicated preferred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles.
- White roofs to minimize the heat island effect of the structures.
Water Efficiency
- Campus irrigation system reduces the use of potable water by 61%.
- High-performance water fixtures reduce potable water consumption by more than 46%, achieving exemplary performance in this category.
Energy & Atmosphere
- Building systems are designed to use 17% less energy than the minimum LEED requirements.
- Advanced electricity metering capabilities for tenant sub-metering.
Materials & Resources
- 88% of the on-site construction waste was not sent to landfills.
- 58% of the total building material, by value, has been manufactured using recycled materials.
- 17% of the total building material, by value, has been sourced from within 500 miles of the project site.
- 86% of the total wood-based building materials are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.
Indoor Environmental Quality
- Building systems continuously monitor the fresh air and adjust to meet occupancy and use demand.
- Increased fresh air volumes above the code requirements further enhances the indoor air quality.
- All indoor adhesives, sealants paints and coatings used in construction comply with the appropriate low volatile organic compound (VOC) standards.
- Space designs allow for daylight to reach more than 91% of all regularly occupied areas.
Senior Housing Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust, or REIT, which owns independent and assisted living communities, medical office buildings, nursing homes and wellness centers throughout the United States. SNH is headquartered in Newton, MA.