LEED Rating System: | LEED for Commercial Interiors |
LEED Rating Version: | 2.0 |
Certification Level: | Silver |
Month Completed: | 12 |
Year Completed: | 2008 |
Client (School/Department): | FAS |
Project Highlights
- 86% of the construction waste was diverted from landfills
- 62% of the interior non-structural components were reused
- 36% reduction in water consumption over EPAct 1992 compliant fixtures
- 17% of the total value of materials have post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled content
- 22% of the total value of materials were manufactured within 500 miles of the project site
Project Summary
The Moorcroft offices are located on the 4th floor of the Harvard Museum Building at 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The building is a five-story structure originally constructed in 1920. The building also houses the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology.
The new offices accommodate and enhance the research of Professor Paul Moorcroft, a professor of ecology in Harvard’s Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and his lab group, who focus on understanding the structure, composition and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Much of their work involves computer-based simulations of ecological dynamics. The space now has shared offices, support/conference areas with audio/visual support, a lounge area, copier and kitchenette facilities and centralized files and bookshelves.
The design of the suite encourages collaboration among the occupants, and reflects the architectural unity of the original space. The renovation offered an opportunity to upgrade the finishes, furniture, lighting and technological capabilities of the office to meet Professor Moorcroft’s requirements. The renovation began in March 2008. The Harvard University Green Building Guidelines and the LEED-CI rating system helped the project team develop sustainability goals. The project team was committed to sustainability throughout the realization of the project, which achieved LEED-CI Silver certification.