GoGreen

10th Annual Green Buildings Tour

The Green Buildings Tour has not been scheduled for 2012.

10:00 am, Saturday, October 2, 2010
(9:15 Registration)
Meet at Newton Community Service Center
492 Waltham Street, West Newton

See an energy efficiency retrofit of a classic 1912 Arts and Crafts House. Our host-experts at the site will be the president of green building company Sustainable Construction Services, an energy efficiency expert from Zero Energy Design, and the homeowner.

House Tour 2010
Blower Door Test Results
Blower door tests and infrared photography were used to compare energy performance from before and after the project.
house tour fireplace
The retrofit applied modern energy efficiency technology while maintaining the beauty and character of this classic, century old home.

Besides hearing how excellent energy performance was achieved, hear about the property’s low flow water fixtures, rainwater catchment system, and about measures taken to enhance healthy internal air quality.

Also see a new construction luxury condominium which features a geothermal heating and cooling system. The owner/architect and geothermal installer will discuss the promise of these systems and also some of the challenges encountered by this project.

mechanicals
Mechanicals related to the geothermal system.
skylights
The “chimney effect” and remote control operated skylights provide natural ventilation.

Other green features include water saving fixtures, design and pre-wiring for future solar panel installation, and natural daylighting.

See why the newly opened Newton North High School will be among the first schools to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools certification and is expected to achieve a LEED Silver designation.The list of green features included in the design of NNHS provides a good introduction to LEED, since the categories of implemented green features coincide with the credit categories of the LEED rating system.

Newton North High School

NNHS teacher Stephen Chinosi of the Greengineers program and student Greengineers will lead our tour.

Green features designed into the high school include:

  • Rooftop solar panels
  • Systems to manage and reuse stormwater runoff
  • Selection of local and recycled materials
  • Use of materials with low emission of volatile organic compounds to make for a healthier indoor environment and a better learning environment.

Aggressive glazing choices and efficient lighting design will reduce overall energy cost of operating NNHS by over 21% compared to a base case.

Register On-Line

Space is limited and we have been oversubscribed in the past, so early registration is recommended.