Margulies & Associates, one of Boston's most innovative architectural and interior design firms, announced today that the new South Shore headquarters it designed for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has been awarded LEED Silver certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), as well as two distinctive awards: the Best Practice Award of Excellence by IFMA Boston and a Sustainable Design Commendation by CoreNet Global. The four-story, 329,000-square-foot office building in Hingham includes a multipurpose cafeteria space, conference/training center, major data center, and child care facility. A five-level, 1,184-car parking structure is linked directly to the main lobby by an all-weather connection. Currently accommodating 1,100 BCBSMA employees, the facility was designed to allow for future expansion with no additional infrastructure required. The green design aspects of the building will result in 21-percent energy savings and 20-percent water savings per year over the national average for a traditional office building. The new structure focuses on indoor air quality, natural light and integration with the building's natural surroundings, all while reducing energy usage and costs. Site clearing and re-grading were minimized to preserve as many trees as possible and to allow the building to nestle into its surroundings.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' Headquarters Awarded LEED Silver Certification
