Eco Factor: Sustainable development in Boston will harvest rainwater.
Scheduled to be completed by 2011, the Russia Wharf Tower is taking sustainable construction to a new high. The developers are estimating that the green building will harvest approximately every drop of water that lands on its massive roof, which won’t be released into storm drains, but will be used for air conditioning and landscaping.
The designers, Boston Properties, are of the opinion that once completed, the Russia Wharf Tower will be able to harvest about 12.5 million gallons of rainwater each year, which is enough to fill 19 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
In Boston and many other cities around the world, runoff from high-rise buildings is a significant contributor to water pollution as it carries impurities in the environment and releases them into rivers, lakes and harbors. The Russia Wharf Tower will use all that water to cool the building, irrigate plants and slash the water bill, while earning the complex a ‘Gold’ rating.
The complex is designed to include a 750,000-square-foot office tower, 70 residential units, a number of restaurants and a waterfront plaza. In a bid to reduce the average electricity consumption, the tower will feature floor-to-ceiling windows that will let in more daylight to save energy. In addition to this, the developers claim that they have recycled about 86% of construction waste.
Via: Boston
