Assembly Row Office Building Awarded LEED Gold Certificate

Federal Realty Investment Trust announced today that its office building at 450 Artisan Way in the Assembly Row district has achieved LEED Gold status, the first office building to ever achieve that status in Somerville.

450 Artisan Way, a 100,000 square foot office building that is part of the completed first phase of the Assembly Row development, was awarded a LEED Gold certificate by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for certifying environmentally efficient design, construction and operation practices for buildings.

“Assembly Row highlights some of the very best sustainability practices of new developments - high-density, mixed-use, transit-oriented and focused on bettering the community and enhancing the quality of life for residents, employees and visitors,” said Chris Brown, Sustainability Director at Federal Realty. “450 Artisan Way builds upon those core sustainable attributes to provide a better workplace environment.”

The 450 Artisan Way office building achieved LEED Gold Core & Shell Development certification by incorporating sustainable construction techniques that include:

• Roofing integrated both with a landscaped area and white EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) roofing, which reduces “heat island effect” (built up areas that are hotter than nearby areas). The roof was installed by a local Somerville company, ReCover Green Roofs, which cut down on worker’s travel and supported local business.
• Optimizing the exterior façade design by providing increased insulation and high performance glazing, balancing access to daylight and exterior views with energy performance. The building has achieved energy savings 16% above the LEED baseline and meets the Somerville Stretch Energy Code.
• Using recycled and regionally sourced materials including certified wood used when possible to build the office building.
• Providing bicyclists with easy access to the building by providing an in-building, secure bike room and an adjacent shower and changing area.
• Using “Green power” that is generated from offsite renewable energy sources.

Responsibly built office buildings have been widely reported to increase productivity and access to natural light can help energize the building’s occupants to support a happier work environment – an important, and measured, Somerville quality of life metric.

“Providing the most efficient, productive and enjoyable work space for employees is a top priority for SmartBear,” said Doug McNary, CEO of SmartBear.

Originally a brownfield site, Assembly Row is an excellent model of responsible design and planning. Several of the Assembly Row retailers have also been recognized for their sustainable retail build outs, achieving LEED Gold. Nike, also on Artisan Way, achieved a LEED Platinum certification.

“We often focus on the transit, economic, and job or housing creation benefits of Assembly Row, but it is important to remember that new development done with an eye toward sustainability can benefit our city in so many other ways from the new green space or transit access it can bring to energy efficient buildings,” said Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.