Commercial, Energy Efficiency, Commercial, Solar - August 8, 2016
GE unveils energy savvy design, 'solar veil' for new HQ
Photos courtesy of GE, Gensler
General Electric recently released detailed plans for its new global headquarters campus in Boston that includes a massive photovoltaic "solar veil."
In addition to the solar installation, GE said in a news release that headquarters campus will be in the top quintile of similar buildings using the Energy Use Index and will be LEED version 4. LEEDcertifcation is granted by the U.S. Green Building Council. Other "green” features include encouragement of public transportation; walking or biking for employees and visitors (the site will have only 30 parking spots); reuse of existing buildings; a rooftop solar system; and green, vegetated roof areas. In addition, given its proximity to the Fort Point Channel, the buildings will be resilient to sea level rise by raising the ground floors and critical systems, as well as landscape design.
According to the Boston Globe, one of the key goals behind the nearly 390,000-square-foot project, was exemplify the transformation underway within GE as it becomes a self-described "digital industrial” company, one that focuses on how to make machines smarter and more connected.
The campus is scheduled to open in two phases in 2018 and will ultimately host approximately 800 GE employees as well as collaborators from the innovation, startup and learning communities.
"We want our campus to be a global epicenter of innovation, a place to foster relationships among our employees and the greater community,” said Ann R. Klee, head of Boston Development and Operations for GE. “Our headquarters is designed to engage and leverage the talent, technology and work ethic of Fort Point and greater Boston, while also giving back to the community through investment, rehabilitation and an inviting public space.”
GE released the details in a public filing with the Boston Redevelopment Authority; that filing can be found BRA’s website. As part of the construction process, GE will rehabilitate two historic brick buildings and construct a new 12-story building connected by a bridge and a pedestrian-only walkway. The architect for the project is Gensler.
More artist renderings of the design can be viewed here.
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