December 3, 2004—The City of Boston has announced that it will establish the LEED Silver rating as the goal for all City-owned building projects. Also, the City will amend Article 80 of the Boston Zoning Code to require that all large projects built in Boston are LEED certifiable. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a national green building standard developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
The announcements are part of the newly released report from Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s Green Building Task Force launched in 2003. Comprised of experts in every area of building design, construction, management, and financing, as well as public health and environmental experts, the task force conducted a uniquely comprehensive exploration of green building’s full range of opportunities and challenges.
The green initiatives are expected to help the environment, save money for building owners and tenants, reduce dependency on imported energy, enhance worker health and productivity, and stimulate new business growth and job creation for Boston.
Inspired by the mayor’s leadership, the Boston Red Sox announced that they will explore green opportunities, such as recycled materials, in their upcoming construction projects.
In addition, Keyspan Energy announced that the company will dedicate $250,000—through an Emerald Network team—to green building efforts. The money will include funding for employee training in green building practices and technologies, as well as grants for projects that incorporate significant energy-saving features.
Later this year Mayor Menino will announce the next round of competitive Green Building Feasibility Study grants, which offset the costs incurred when a development proponent expands its standard feasibility study and incorporates green building technology analyses during the early phases of project planning.
The city already counts a number of green building success stories, and numerous projects that are either under construction or are in the design and planning phase are incorporating green building approaches.
