point cover jan 13 - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
The Point, Boston
5. Ensure that climate action has clear public and private leadership and sufficient public and private
resources.
Achieving these goals of reducing the effects of climate change, cultivating a city of green buildings, and
advancing sustainability in multiple realms is intended to drive economic development and innovation.
In 2010, the City of Boston was designated a Green Community under the Green Communities Designation
and Grant Program, an initiative of the Department of Energy Resources (DOER). In order to be designated a
Green Community and, therefore, be eligible for grant money available annually, communities are required
to meet five qualification criteria, such as adopt and implement the Stretch Energy Code. 6 The goal of the
grant program is for a municipality to use grant money to assist residents, businesses, and municipal
departments/facilities to reduce energy use or install renewable energy systems.
The Project will not provide any new parking and, therefore, aims to encourage the use of alternative
transportation. The Project location is consistent with the goal of reducing GHG emissions associated with
transportation (i.e., fossil fuels) due to its close proximity to public transportation. As discussed in Chapter 3,
Transportation, the vast majority of residents and their guests, as well as retail employees and customers are
expected to primarily use alternative means of transportation to access the Project. In addition to public
transit, the proposed pedestrian improvements, resident secure bicycle storage, and public bike racks will
encourage the use of other alternative modes of transportation to/from the Project, thereby, reducing GHG
emissions associated with gasoline use compared to a conventional development, where access is dependent
on single-occupancy vehicles.
The Project building will be designed to meet the Stretch Energy Code (a 20 percent energy savings compared
to a building constructed to meet the Massachusetts Energy Code minimum requirements). Energy efficient
heating and cooling building systems as well as windows with double glazing and an improved U-value are
key energy conservation measures that have been incorporated into conceptual design. Preliminary building
energy model runs assuming these measures are showing an energy savings of approximately 23 percent.
(This building energy performance goal will continue to be assessed as building systems are evaluated and
selected throughout the design process.) Additionally, the Proponent will develop construction and design
guidelines to encourage retail tenants to include energy conservation measures and sustainable features in
their fit-outs. The Proponent will also provide residents with operations guidelines, which may include
information on the sustainable aspects of the Project, such as information on installed Energy Star appliances,
the City of Boston recycling program, and a copy of the Project’s ‘No Smoking’ policy. These guidelines will
aim to encourage residential tenants to reduce their energy consumption by providing them with energy use
tips/measures and suggestions on how to coordinate carpooling to/from work with other tenants. The
energy efficiency performance goals of the Project are expected to result in a reduction in GHG emissions,
which supports the City’s Climate Action Plan goal to reduce overall GHG emission by 25 percent by 2020.
Refer to Chapter 4, Environmental Protection for further details on Project benefits related to sustainable design
and energy conservation.
6 Effective January 1, 2011, the City of Boston adopted the Stretch Energy Code (8th Edition Building Code, Appendix
115.AA); there is a concurrency period through June 30, 2011. Its adoption brings to Boston a standard that will
require new commercial buildings over 5,000 square feet in size, including multi-family residential buildings over three
stories, to operate at an energy efficiency level 20% better than that required under the base energy code criterion,
ASHRAE 90.1-2007.
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panded_PNF\00d_ProjDescription_FINAL.doc S-7 Project Description