The U.S. Green Building Council has recognized The First Church of Christ, Scientist, with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification for renovations to floors 5-9 in the Christian Science Publishing House Building.
The building, located at 210 Mass. Ave. was constructed between 1932 and 1934. Renovating commercial interiors to today's green standards is a significant achievement - especially for buildings of that era.
"This project clearly demonstrates that a high level of sustainable construction can be achieved even for historic renovation projects," said Jim Hunt, chief of environment and energy for the city of Boston. "Mayor Menino and I applaud the Christian Science Church renovation team for their commitment to getting to LEED Gold and setting another major mark in Boston's already rich green building history." The City of Boston is nationally recognized as a leader in green building policy and construction, being the first city in the U.S. to incorporate the USGBC's LEED standards into zoning.
In adopting green building standards for renovations to floors 5-9, the Church took another step toward making its real estate more environmentally sustainable. This latest renovation to Class A-level space for Church administrative offices was completed in May 2008.
"Green made sense to us - in caring for the environment, conserving resources, and creating more pleasant and efficient work spaces for our employees," said Harley Gates, senior manager, capital and business operations for the Church.
LEED credits were awarded for: salvaging and recycling demolition materials; extensive reuse of furniture systems, furnishings, and cabinets; water use reduction; measures that support indoor air quality; natural light to 90% of the work space; an energy-efficient HVAC system; and other conservation measures.