Building in Mass. Becomes First LEED Home Project in State

The USGBC and CSG today recognized a Cambridge property as receiving a certified rating in the "LEED® for Homes" pilot program. Located at 53 Standish St., it is the first LEED-certified home project in Massachusetts that meets the USGBC standards for sustainable design and construction.

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL CERTIFIES FIRST

LEED® FOR HOMES PROJECT IN MASSACHUSETTS
Cambridge Building Qualifies as the First Multi-Unit Project
in the U.S. Certified by the USGBC

WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Nov. 16, 2006 - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Conservation Services Group (CSG) today recognize a Cambridge property as receiving a certified rating in the "LEED® for Homes" pilot program. Located at 53 Standish St., it is the first LEED-certified home project in Massachusetts and the first multi-unit building in the country that meets the USGBC standards for sustainable design and construction. The property has also been designated an ENERGY STAR®-labeled home by CSG, a non-profit group that provides certification services for both the LEED for Homes and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s ENERGY STAR Homes programs in the Northeast. Cambridge, Mass.-based Aedi Development LLC is the developer of 53 Standish Street. Aedi Construction LLC, the general contractor, received both certificates.

LEED for Homes is a USGBC "green" homes pilot program that evaluates the environmental features of single and multi-family homes by regional, third party providers designated by the USGBC. In Massachusetts, there are 27 LEED-certified residential and commercial projects. The Cambridge property is the first LEED for Homes project in the state and qualifies as the first multi-unit LEED-certified home in the country. (A multi-unit property has up to four units.)

"53 Standish Street is to be commended for its LEED certification," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the USGBC. He continued, "The project represents leadership in the green housing market and will serve as an example to the community for building environmentally-sound homes."

Located less than two miles from Harvard Square in Huron Village, 53 Standish St. is within walking distance of public transportation, shops and other conveniences. The building comprises three, two-bedroom units that have low-e argon windows, high efficiency lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs and high density, recycled cellulose insulation. Other energy efficiency upgrades include instantaneous water heaters, programmable thermostats, high efficiency gas furnaces and air conditioners, as well as mechanical ventilation. Necessary wiring for solar panels on the roof has also been installed and approved for future use. Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, recycled fiber carpet, bamboo flooring and 90 percent Forest Stewardship Council-certified sustainably harvested wood content moldings have been used throughout the building. As a result of incorporating energy saving products and technologies, 53 Standish St. has achieved a 93.3 Home Energy Rating System score. (Homes must achieve a minimum score of 86 - on a 100 point scale -- to be deemed "ENERGY STAR" qualified.)

Aedi began construction of 53 Standish St. in August of 2005. The project was completed in February of 2006 and is fully occupied. Tony Butler, of AB Architects in Arlington, Mass., designed the homes.

John Livermore is the residential new construction manager for CSG, the region's local provider for the LEEDS for Homes program. He said, "We applaud Aedi and AB Architects for designing and building a home that will consume fewer resources. We hope that other builders are influenced by the team's superior work and strive to achieve the highest level of 'green building' success."

Aedi Construction specializes in "eco- friendly" building and adheres to LEED and ENERGY STAR Homes standards for its residential and commercial clients. For more
information, visit www.aediconstruction.com.) The ENERGY STAR Homes program is
a nationally recognized new construction initiative that meets strict criteria set by the EPA for maximum energy efficiency. The program is sponsored regionally by a consortium of utilities and energy efficiency service providers including NSTAR (electric and gas) in Cambridge. CSG, of Westborough, Mass., is a national energy services firm that designs and delivers energy efficiency technologies. (Visit www.conservationservicesgroup.com and www.energystarhomes.com for more information.) The USGBC is the nation's leading coalition of organizations that promote
buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has been adopted nationwide as the industry standard of measurement for "green" building. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org/leed/homes.




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