Winthrop Center, a new 691-foot tall, mixed-use tower in Boston was recently honored with the Passive House Trailblazer award. Built to stringent Passive House standards, the structure’s 812,000 sf of office space will be the largest office built to those standards in the world when it is completed in 2023. The project models “the most energy efficient solution for large scale buildings” to date, according to a news release.
“Passive House is the route to zero operational carbon, which is why Winthrop Center is a globally important building,” said Craig Stevenson, Passive House Network board chair. The project “is paving the path for developers searching for more energy-efficient solutions and for cities and states trying to meet carbon reduction goals.”
A typical Class A building in Boston’s existing stock uses 150% more energy than Winthrop Center, and existing LEED Platinum buildings in Boston use 60% more energy than the building’s office space is projected to use. The project will also deliver 510,000 sf of residential space, including 317 luxury residences located in the center of Boston.
Winthrop Center will be the most energy efficient large-scale building ever built in a cold climate, the release says. It incorporates a well-insulated building façade, air-tight exterior envelope, and advanced energy recovery ventilation (ERV) system for the office space. “In addition to eliminating heating and cooling inefficiencies, this integrated system allows the building to deliver better managed and higher quality air, positively impacting employee health, productivity, and sense of well-being,” the release says.
The project is also projected to achieve WELL Gold certification and WIRED Platinum, the highest quality rating of a building’s infrastructure and Internet connections. Tenants and owners will be equipped with integrated touchless smart building solutions including a network of on-demand space and services. Features include touchless mobile access for elevators, entry and turnstiles, guest access, conference pod scheduling, pet amenities, parking, and food and beverage.
The ground floor will include a 24,000-sf gathering space called “The Connector” that will invite the public in for certain events. The building will include “a world-class fitness center, and top-tier amenities” through a 25,000-sf common area known as “The Collective.”
The structure will feature plentiful natural light with 10-foot-high windows and a limited column structural design with unobstructed sight lines. The office space will provide a flexible and adaptable environment with distinctive floorplans. Tenants will be able to access privacy and adjacent collaboration in different wings of each floor, while staying connected to common and community spaces.
On the building team:
Owner and/or developer: MP Boston
Design architect: Handel Architects
Architect of record: Handel Architects
MEP engineer: WSP, Boston Office
Structural engineer: DESimone Engineering
General contractor/construction manager: Suffolk Construction
Related Stories
Retail Centers | May 3, 2024
Outside Las Vegas, two unused office buildings will be turned into an open-air retail development
In Henderson, Nev., a city roughly 15 miles southeast of Las Vegas, 100,000 sf of unused office space will be turned into an open-air retail development called The Cliff. The $30 million adaptive reuse development will convert the site’s two office buildings into a destination for retail stores, chef-driven restaurants, and community entertainment.
Codes and Standards | May 3, 2024
New York City considering bill to prevent building collapses
The New York City Council is considering a proposed law with the goal of preventing building collapses. The Billingsley Structural Integrity Act is a response to the collapse of 1915 Billingsley Terrace in the Bronx last December.
Student Housing | May 3, 2024
Student housing construction dips in the first quarter of 2024
Investment in college dorms dipped slightly in the first quarter of 2024, but remains higher than a year ago.
Contractors | May 1, 2024
Nonresidential construction spending rises 0.2% in March 2024 to $1.19 trillion
National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.2% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.19 trillion.
K-12 Schools | Apr 30, 2024
Fully electric Oregon elementary school aims for resilience with microgrid design
The River Grove Elementary School in Oregon was designed for net-zero carbon and resiliency to seismic events, storms, and wildfire. The roughly 82,000-sf school in a Portland suburb will feature a microgrid—a small-scale power grid that operates independently from the area’s electric grid.
AEC Tech | Apr 30, 2024
Lack of organizational readiness is biggest hurdle to artificial intelligence adoption
Managers of companies in the industrial sector, including construction, have bought the hype of artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative technology, but their organizations are not ready to realize its promise, according to research from IFS, a global cloud enterprise software company. An IFS survey of 1,700 senior decision-makers found that 84% of executives anticipate massive organizational benefits from AI.
Codes and Standards | Apr 30, 2024
Updated document details methods of testing fenestration for exterior walls
The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) updated a document serving a recommended practice for determining test methodology for laboratory and field testing of exterior wall systems. The document pertains to products covered by an AAMA standard such as curtain walls, storefronts, window walls, and sloped glazing. AAMA 501-24, Methods of Test for Exterior Walls was last updated in 2015.
MFPRO+ News | Apr 29, 2024
World’s largest 3D printer could create entire neighborhoods
The University of Maine recently unveiled the world’s largest 3D printer said to be able to create entire neighborhoods. The machine is four times larger than a preceding model that was first tested in 2019. The older model was used to create a 600 sf single-family home made of recyclable wood fiber and bio-resin materials.
AEC Innovators | Apr 26, 2024
National Institute of Building Sciences announces Building Innovation 2024 schedule
The National Institute of Building Sciences is hosting its annual Building Innovation conference, May 22-24 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. BI2024 brings together everyone who impacts the built environment: government agencies, contractors, the private sector, architects, scientists, and more.
Contractors | Apr 26, 2024
AGC releases decarbonization playbook to help assess, track, reduce GHG emissions
The Associated General Contractors of America released a new, first-of-its-kind, decarbonization playbook designed to help firms assess, track, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on projects. The AGC Playbook on Decarbonization and Carbon Reporting in the Construction Industry is part of the association’s efforts to make sure construction firms play a leading role in crafting carbon-reduction measures for the industry.
