Boston, MA At the USGBC MA Green Building Showcase held on June 15th, 2017, at Northeastern University’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex, Perkins Eastman was awarded the 2017 Green Building of the Year award for its design of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School located in Cambridge. The design, targeting LEED for Schools Platinum, was recognized not only for its impressive, significant list of sustainable features, but also for its altruistic impact on education and the immediate surrounding community. The MLK School stood out among the other exemplary green buildings in the contest, demonstrating the impact that a sustainable design from a forward-thinking firm can have in a major city.
Completed in December 2015, the MLK School has an impressive list of sustainable features and results. With one year of operating data collection, the project performed 12% better than predicted, and its actual Energy Use Intensity is over 65% better than the average school in New England, the design became a benchmark of success within Cambridge’s devotion to a Net-Zero future. The building’s PVs are projected to provide 47% of its energy needs, there are two 10,000-gallon cisterns that reclaim stormwater for toilet use, and 65 geothermal wells support the heating/cooling system.
“We are very honored that the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School complex, which is Cambridge’s first near net zero school, has received this prestigious award,” said Cambridge city manager Louis DePasquale. “We believe this building represents Cambridge’s commitment to architecture that is beautifully designed and sustainable.”
The US Green Building Council Massachusetts Chapter’s Annual Green Building Showcase Awards Program acknowledges the achievements and efforts made by firms across the commonwealth for more green buildings. Every design featured at this event has made tangible, noticeable strides for their designs to be healthy for the environment and for the individuals who inhabit them. This event showcases how far modern sustainable architecture has come, and each firm is a shining example of progress.