SUSTAINABLE FAC
John W. McCormack
Post Office and Courthouse
EPA REGION 1 OFFICE • BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ITAL STATISTICS
Facility Type: Office Space
Construction: Historic Green Renovation
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Size: More than 700,000 gross square
feet (EPA occupying 328,862 rentable
square feet)
Occupancy: 840 EPA employees
Reoccupied: December 2009
LEED® Status: Gold 2.2 Certification
for New Construction
Points Earned: 43
..e past and the future have come
together in the renovation of the John
W. McCormack Post Office and Court-
house (POCH) in Boston, Massachu-
setts. The U.S. General Services Admin-
istration (GSA) and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) renovated this
Art Deco landmark in downtown Boston's
Post Office Square with the goal of pre-
serving its historical features while showcas-
ing it as a model of energy efficiency and
sustainable design for future project-;
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>F THE
OLD AND NEW
in 1933, the
•story, more than
),000-square-foot
• .tcCormack POCH is
_ jeautiful example of Art Deco
architecture. Since December
2009, it has housed EPA New
England's offices, serving Con-
necticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
Vermont, and 10 tribal nations.
The project was a complete
renovation that removed all
mechanical and electrical
components of the original
building but reused nearly all
of the original structure. GSA
and EPA worked to minimize
environmental impacts during
the renovation, with more than
75 percent of the construction
and demolition waste diverted
for recycling.
The building earned Leadership
in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED®) version 2.2
Gold certification for New
Construction (NC) from the
U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC). EPA and GSA
anticipate the building will
receive an ENERGY STAR®
label after a year of occupancy.
Timeless Architecture, Forward-Looking Design
The John W. McCormack POCH demonstrates that high-efficiency,
sustainable building design can be successfully integrated into a
sensitive historical setting. GSA and EPA have incorporated today's
sustainable design principles into a comfortable, attractive, and ef-
ficient workplace that highlights architectural features and serves as
a model for future historic preservation in government buildings.
Creative Reuse
The project reused 99 percent of the historical structure. It also pre-
served interior features such as historical paneling, walnut wainscot-
ing, terrazzo floors with marble
inlay, and oak parquet floors.
The renovation modernized the
plumbing and fixtures of the
bathrooms throughout except for
floor 15, which retained the his-
toric fixtures, including marble
partitions.
Transportation Choices
To encourage alternative modes of transportation, the
building offers 50 bike racks and 10 showers, and two
of the 32 parking spaces under the
building are reserved for fuel-
efficient vehicles. It is located
within two blocks of several station
entrances to Boston's subway
system, the Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority ("T").
The Human Element 4
The project's Indoor Air Quality Plan protected work-
ers during construction by mandating air filtering and
the use of low- or non-volatile organic compound paint.
To ensure occupant safety, dedicated exhaust fans in the
janitor closets and copier machine rooms vent potentially
harmful fumes directly outside.
Maintenance crews use environmentally preferable, biobased
green cleaning supplies and practice integrated pest man-
agement. Approximately 70 percent of the occupied space
receives natural light, making the
McCormack POCH a more pleas-
ant place to work.
An educational touch-screen kiosk
and walking tours are available to
the public, and signage throughout the
building describes its environmental
features.
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Water Efficiency
High-efficiency urinals, faucets, and
showers and dual-flush toilets help
reduce the amount of water consumed
by building occupants. The building
is projected to use approximately 32
percent less water than a similar of-
fice building with standard plumbing
fixtures. Cisterns capture stormwater
runoff, which a solar-powered pump
transports to irrigate the green roof
when needed.
Schematic of Green Roof
Ucpw roof mnoH rwvnlid
Seedy Clancy
Andropoooo AnodUM
Energy Efficiency
EPA New England's office is expected to perform at least 17 percent bet-
ter in terms of total energy cost compared with the baseline performance
rating per American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Condi-
tioning Engineers Standard 90.1-2004.
EPA and GSA included energy-saving measures such as insula-
tion behind the building skin and occupancy sensors that turn
lights off when offices are unoccupied. Daylight dimming
in perimeter spaces and ceilings designed to allow
deep penetration of daylight further reduce the
tneed for energy to power lights. High-efficiency,
historically appropriate windows reduce interior
heating and cooling while maintaining the build-
ing's visual appeal.
Through an Agencywide purchase of renewable
energy certificates, EPA buys enough green power to
offset 100 percent of its electricity used in the Mc-
Cormack POCH.
Up on the Roof
A green roof that
covers the 4th
and 5*k floor roofs
and is accessible
from the 5^ floor
insulates the build-
ing, cutting down
on energy use and
costs. Native and
drought-resistant
plants filter bacteria and other pollutants from
stormwater runoff and provide a pleasant garden for
building occupants. Vegetated roofs also minimize
the urban heat island effect—urban and suburban
temperatures that are 2° to 10° F warmer than nearby
rural areas because of the heat retention properties of
urban materials.
AG\S
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FINAL LEED® SCORECARD FOR THE JOHN W. MCCORMACK POST
OFFICE AND COURTHOUSE, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Certification Earned: LEED-NC 2.2 Gold
The LEED Scorecard provides an itemized account of the specific green building criteria met through the design and renovation of the McCormack POCH.
Based on these criteria, the facility earned 43 of 69 possible points and achieved LEED for New Construction Version 2.2 Gold certification.
11
Yes
^^
•
•
^
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
•
Sustainable Sites
Prerequisite 1
Credit 1
Credit 2
Credit 3
Credit 4.1
Credit 4.2
Credit 4.3
Credit 4.4
Credit 5.1
Credit 5.2
Credit 6.1
Credit 6.2
Credit 7.1
Credit 7.2
Credit 8
14
Construction Activity Pollution Prevention
Site Selection
Development Density & Community Connectivity
Brownfield Redevelopment
Alternative Transportation: Public Transportation Access
Alternative Transportation: Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms
Alternative Transportation: Low-Emitting &Fuel Efficient Vehicles
Alternative Transportation: Parking Capacity
Site Development: Protect or Restore Habitat
Site Development: Maximize Open Space
Stormwater Management: Quantity Control
Stormwater Management: Quality Control
Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof
Heat Island Effect: Roof
Light Pollution Reduction
Water Efficiency
Credit 1.1 -1.2 Water Efficient Landscaping
Credit 2 Innovative Wastewater Technologies
Credit 3.1 -3.2 Water Use Reduction
Possible Points:
Energy & Atmosphere
Possible Points:
Yes Prerequisite 1
Yes Prerequisite 2
Yes Prerequisite 3
^| Credit 1
I Credit 2
^| Credits
^| Credit 4
| Credits
^| Credit 6
CREDIT SUMMARY
43
Fundamental Commissioning of the Building Energy Systems
Minimum Energy Performance
Fundamental Refrigerant Management
Optimize Energy Performance
Onsite Renewable Energy
Enhanced Commissioning
Enhanced Refrigerant Management
Measurement & Verification
Green Power
10
3
1
1
1
1
6
Yes
2
2
1
1
10
Yes
Yes
•
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Materials & Resources Possible Points:
Prerequisite 1
Credit 1.1 -1.2
Credit 1 .3
Credit 2.1 -2.2
Credit 3
Credit 4
Credit 5
Credit 6
Credit 7
Storage & Collection of Recyclables
Building Reuse
Building Reuse, Non-Structural
Construction Waste Management
Resource Reuse
Recycled Content
Regional Materials
Rapidly Renewable Materials
Certified Wood
Indoor Environmental Quality Possible Points:
Prerequisite 1 Minimum IAQ Performance
Prerequisite 2
Credit 1
Credit 2
Credit 3.1
Credit 3.2
Credit 4.1
Credit 4.2
Credit 4.3
Credit 4.4
Credit 5
Credit 6.1
Credit 6.2
Credit 7.1
Credit 7.2
Credit 8.1
Credit 8.2
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control
Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring
Increased Ventilation
Construction IAQ Management Plan: During Construction
Construction IAQ Management Plan: Before Occupancy
Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants
Low-Emitting Materials: Paints & Coatings
Low-Emitting Materials: Carpet Systems
Low-Emitting Materials: Composite Wood &Agrifiber
Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control
Controllability of Systems: Lighting
Controllability of Systems: Thermal Comfort
Thermal Comfort: Design
Thermal Comfort: Verification
Daylighting & Views: Daylight 75% of Spaces
Daylighting & Views: Views for 90% of Spaces
13
2
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
15
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Innovation & Design Process
Credit 1.1 Innovation in Design
Credit 1.2 Innovation in Design
Credit 1.3 Innovation in Design
Credit 1.4 Innovation in Design
Credit 2 LEED Accredited Professional
Possible Points:
For more information on the USGBC's LEED® Green Building Program, visit
.
For more information on the McCormack POCH, please visit and .
United States Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
EPA-200-F-10-001
April 2010
Acknowledgments
Assistance and information from Goody Clancy and Associates/ Inc./
and GSA.
Cover inset photos courtesy of GSA.
> Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 100% postconsumer/ process chlorine free recycled pap
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