The city of Cambridge has selected Bulfinch Companies, Inc.'s Cambridge Discovery Park as a recipient of the 2011 GoGreen Award for Stormwater Management.
Cambridge Discovery Park is permitted for development of up to 820,000 s/f in multiple LEED certified office, research and development, and laboratory buildings. Bulfinch has completed construction of 350,000 s/f, including the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the new Forrester Research, Inc. world headquarters and an adjacent 600 car parking garage. The park fronts Rte. 2, is surrounded by abundant natural vegetation and substantial open space (including the Alewife Reservation and Little River) and is connected to the Alewife MBTA station via a pedestrian footpath.
Bulfinch worked closely with BSC Group on stormwater design development at Cambridge Discovery Park. The winning design provides a natural vegetative buffer between the Little River and developed portions of the property. Impervious areas close to the River were removed, while taking advantage of nature's treatment efficiency by creating a Pocket Wetland in accordance with the Mass. Stormwater Handbook guidelines.
The GoGreen Awards, conceived in 1999 as a joint effort between the city of Cambridge Community Development and Public Works Departments, recognize the environmental sustainability initiatives of Cambridge businesses and organizations in the areas of transportation, waste reduction/recycling, energy, stormwater management, climate protection, and initiatives by community organizations.
Eric Schlager, Bulfinch's CEO, said, "We are honored to receive the GoGreen Award in recognition of our efforts in preserving, restoring and respecting the invaluable wildlife, plant species and other features of the diverse natural environment surrounding our development at Cambridge Discovery Park."