Boston receives green design award

The Massachusetts chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council honored Boston in April with its “Innovation in Green Design” award.

In 2007, Boston was the first major city in the nation to establish zoning that strongly supports green design and sustainability in its public buildings. Mayor Thomas Menino’s support for green buildings dates to 2003, with the creation of the Boston Nature Center in the city’s Mattapan section, according to James Hunt, who heads the city’s Environmental and Energy Services Department.

Menino, according to Hunt, termed the Nature Center “the building that teaches” – not only because of the programs offered there, but also due to the building’s many sustainable features.

The U.S. Green Building Council singled out for praise a high-rise office building near South Station called Atlantic Wharf. The building, known as the city’s first green skyscraper, uses 43 percent less energy than a typical building its size, Hunt said.

Because the building is close to Fort Point Channel, designers put particular emphasis on reducing stormwater run-off, much of which would otherwise end up in Boston Harbor. Hunt said that 95 percent of the rainwater that lands on the building is absorbed by the green roof system or other means, including cooling towers that serve to moderate the building’s temperature.

The city’s green buildings, Hunt added, also benefit air quality. Studies suggest that an emphasis on natural light not only reduces lighting costs but also helps workers be more productive.

The U.S. Green Building Council also recognized the new Cambridge Public Library, for its energy-conserving, double-wall glass façade, and Devens for its environment-friendly housing project.