June 6, 2016 – Boston -- NB Development Group, LLC today announces that the New Balance World Headquarters building has earned LEED Platinum certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) v2009 Core and Shell rating system. Located at 100 Guest St. in the Allston-Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, the 250,000-square-foot facility is the first in the U.S. to achieve all possible credits in the Indoor Environmental Quality category under this rating system. There are only two other buildings in the world that have achieved this – one each in Italy and Thailand.
“NB Development Group is proud, in conjunction with our project team partners, Elkus Manfredi Architects, Transwestern, and John Moriarty Associates, to have delivered to New Balance Athletics, Inc. a world-class headquarters facility that has garnered this LEED Platinum designation,” said Jim Halliday, managing director of NB Development. “This designation is in keeping with not only the mission of New Balance, but also as the initial flagship project of Boston Landing, it highlights the spirit and energy we envision for this newly emerging district and ongoing commitment to our neighborhood.”
New Balance's building secured LEED Platinum certification because it achieved outcomes of energy-efficient design, water use reduction, sustainable site selection and development, responsible materials selection and waste management, and enhanced indoor environmental quality.
“Prioritizing the benefits of exceptional indoor environmental quality is exactly the kind of responsible leadership you’d expect from a company dedicated to health and performance,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “Improved comfort and well-being, enhanced productivity, decreased absenteeism, and improved valuation of the building are all aspects of green building that are on par with energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction. Congratulations to New Balance for this significant achievement and for helping us move one step closer to sustainable buildings for everyone within this generation.”
“This certification exemplifies our strong commitment of responsible leadership to our company’s associates and consumers, our local community and the environment,” said Rob DeMartini, New Balance President & CEO. “We are extremely pleased to be able to call our new World Headquarters a truly global leader in sustainability.”
Sustainable features such as low-flow fixtures, green roofing, rain gardens, porous paving, and other energy- and water-saving measures contribute to these project achievements:
35 percent reduction in water consumption of plumbing fixtures when compared to a base code-compliant building
86 percent reduction in site runoff post-development when compared to pre-development
30 percent higher ventilation rate when compared to a code-compliant building.
Additional project achievements include:
70 percent of energy used offset by Green-e certified, off-site renewable energy resources
28 percent of materials used in construction derived from recycled content
20 percent of materials used in construction derived from a regional source
100 percent of wood used in construction was Forest Stewardship Council certified
All low-VOC interior finishes were used to ensure healthy indoor air quality
All Regional Priority credits were achieved, including brownfield redevelopment
All Innovation credits were achieved, including green housekeeping and a tenant education program to inspire tenants to engage in sustainable practices at work and home.
The New Balance World Headquarters facility broke ground in August 2013 and was completed in September 2015. It was designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects of Boston, built by John Moriarty Associates of Winchester, MA, and managed by Transwestern through their Boston office.