Boston, October 12, 2006—Shawmut Design and Construction completed the reconstruction of the Dunster and Mather House Kitchen and Servery at Harvard University, which recently achieved Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its sustainable design and cost and energy-effective building systems. Attaining LEED certification for projects which include commercial kitchens is difficult due to high-levels of power consumption of food service equipment, requirements for durable materials that reduce design options, and high-percentage of synthetic materials such as waterproofing and fireproofing materials. The scope of the Dunster Mather House Kitchen & Servery Project included installing new energy efficient M/E/P systems and ADA and code compliance upgrades, such as a new elevator, kitchen equipment and serving stations.
“Achieving LEED certification requires a significant commitment by the facility owner and operators, the architect and the construction team,” said Tom Perry, Director of Engineering Services of Shawmut. “Shawmut was pleased to take on this challenge, bringing expertise from its long-standing relationship with Harvard University and our leadership in sustainable building practices, to build a state-of-the-art, sustainable kitchen.”
For the LEED Commercial Interiors rating system, a project must score 21 points to be certified or 27 to reach the Silver level. The Dunster Mather renovation was awarded 30 points by the USGBC, placing it high into the Silver certification. It is the first LEED CI in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to receive Silver certification, and it is Harvard's second silver project (1 Western Ave - LEED NC 2.0 - Silver; Landmark Center - LEED CI 1.0 - Certified; Radcliffe Schlesinger Library - LEED NC - Certified). In Massachusetts there are only two other LEED Commercial Interiors certified projects, one of which is the Harvard School of Public Health's Landmark Center fit-out.
Several design and construction elements contributed to LEED certification. The project’s superintendent worked to carefully document work with logs and photos, oversaw deliveries to ensure quality and facilitated multiple USGBC site inspections. Additionally, the team coordinated with the demolition subcontractor to reuse and recycle large amount of materials, while procuring new steel and stone from local vendors. The project achieved over 95% recycling of construction waste, translating into 658 tons of material diverted from landfills, including over 40 tons of foodservice equipment that was donated or re-used[i]. Shawmut worked with a LEED consultant to develop an indoor air quality program that included the use of low-VOC glues and paint.
About Shawmut
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with offices in New York, NY and Providence, RI, Shawmut Design and Construction is a $600 million national construction management firm providing client-oriented services for retail, restaurant, academic, banking, corporate interiors, cultural and historic preservation, and science and healthcare markets. Over its 24 year history, Shawmut has become a campus construction expert, performing challenging and high-profile projects for New England’s leading colleges and independent schools, including Harvard University, Brown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, Noble and Greenough School, and Phillips Exeter Academy. Visit Shawmut at www.shawmut.com. [1] The 658 tons of material diverted from landfills due to the recycling effort equals energy and emissions savings equivalent to 709 barrels of oil or 32,565 gallons of gas. The organization responsible for spearheading this effort on the Dunster Mather project was The Institution Recycling Network of Concord, New Hampshire.
[1] The 658 tons of material diverted from landfills due to the recycling effort equals energy and emissions savings equivalent to 709 barrels of oil or 32,565 gallons of gas. The organization responsible for spearheading this effort on the Dunster Mather project was The Institution Recycling Network of Concord, New Hampshire.
