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Lowell Justice Center / Photo by Anton Grassl Photograpy Lowell, MA – Finegold Alexander Architects announces the LEED-Platinum certification of the newly constructed Lowell Justice Center in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, the Office of Courts Management, ARUP Engineers, ART Engineers, Nitsch Engineers, Copley Wolff Design Group, The Green Engineer, and Dimeo Construction.

Lowell Justice Center is the first LEED-Platinum certified courthouse in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the first new state courthouse to achieve this certification in the United States. The 265,000sf, $146 million newconstruction building opened its doors in March 2020. The 21st -century, modern courthouse is located on a 3.2-acre site at the northern edge of the Hamilton Canal District, within the Lowell National Historic Park. Among the various building features

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Photo: Robert Benson Photography

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Lowell Justice Center interior courtroom

contributing to the LEED-Platinum certification are a chilled beam HVAC system, an air displacement system, photovoltaic panels, highly insulated walls, and a building envelope with glazing that allows for abundant natural light to flow into the courtrooms, private areas behind the courtrooms, judges’ chambers, jury deliberation rooms, and transaction areas. Additionally, the mechanical and lighting systems in place target performance that is 45% better than current code.

“Attaining LEED-Platinum for the Lowell Justice Center showcases what’s possible, and necessary, for civic structures and specifically for judicial spaces,” said Moe Finegold, FAIA, principal in charge for Finegold Alexander Architects. “This new-construction project underscores the importance of infusing sustainability into goals that accomplish functionality, maintainability, accessibility, security, and a sense of individual dignity through design.”

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Boston – A group of 17 leaders from higher education endowments, investment consultants, asset managers, and nonprofit partners have joined together as a steering committee to guide a new Net Zero Endowments initiative hosted by the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN).

After groundbreaking commitments from institutions like Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, and Penn over the last year, IEN aims to accelerate the adoption of net zero portfolio commitments to 50 endowments over the next two years.

A commitment to net zero means committing to transition the investment portfolio to net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 consistent with a maximum temperature rise of 1.5°C above preindustrial temperatures, taking into account the best available scientific knowledge including the findings of the IPCC, and regularly reporting on progress, including establishing intermediate targets every five years in line with Paris Agreement Article 4.9.

The Net Zero Endowments initiative will serve as a bridge between higher education endowments and the growing field of net zero investing. IEN members will participate in peer learning and partner with other initiatives for shared resources, events, and actions.

– GEORGES DYER, Executive Director of IEN

The group will also focus on the intersection of climate change and inequality. “A top priority in this work is to ensure that net zero commitments are made through a justice and equity lens,” said Georges Dyer, executive director of IEN, and coordinator of the new steering committee. Washington – Preliminary analysis released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) finds that the residential provisions of the 2021 edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) are 9.38% more efficient than the 2018 edition and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 8.66%.

The International Code Council (ICC) has developed the IECC for over three decades; it is the most widely used and adopted set of building safety codes in the world. With this new analysis, the IECC has seen a 40% improvement in energy savings starting from the 2006 edition.

Publication of each new edition of the IECC triggers a congressionally mandated review of the code by DOE to determine that the new edition saves energy over the prior edition. In his first day in office, President Biden issued an executive order expediting DOE’s analysis. After a 30-day public review period, the determination is finalized, triggering requirements for states to review their residential energy codes to determine if updates are appropriate. States must then certify to DOE that they have undertaken such a review.

“As communities around the world work to reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to a changing climate, energy codes are an essential tool in reducing the impacts of buildings,” said code council CEO, Dominic Sims, CBO. “DOE’s analysis confirms the significant contributions of the IECC to date. Adoption and effective implementation by state and local governments are critical next steps towards ensuring the IECC’s benefits are realized.”

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