Pro Tour: LEED Platinum-Certified, All-Electric School in Boston
Boston, MA
United States
AIA, Phius (pending)
Join us in Boston for a Pro Tour of an innovative new school and community facility, located on a tight, one-acre site in Boston’s dense, historic Chinatown. This building is a transformative example of high-performance, sustainable, and inclusive school. Designed to serve 650 students in grades 6-12, this all-electric, LEED Platinum-certified facility replaces outdated buildings with a fully programmed middle and high school campus focused on health, equity, and climate resilience.
This school was complete in 2024, and, already, the school's inner-city enrollment sees positive changes: attendance increased to 92%, extracurricular activities are more popular, and participation in meal programs tripled due to delicious, healthy, food prepared in the all-electric kitchen reducing food insecurity. This project is a great model for how sustainable school buildings can uplift entire communities. The hosting firm, HFMF, believes that this project exemplifies what 21st-century buildings can and should be: high-performing, human-centered, and rooted in equity.
Our event will begin with an opening workshop where the team will discuss the history, goals, and design of the facility, alongside financing and construction strategies. Attendees will then break into small groups to tour the building while hearing more from the interdisciplinary team of experts who made it possible. After the tour, we’ll regroup for a reception and Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to chat with the day’s speakers and each other.
More Information
Completed in 2024, the school provides an extensive array of educational and community amenities, including science labs, art and music spaces, an auditorium, black box theater, a competition gymnasium, and a large open rooftop learning garden. Through strategic vertical planning and community-centered design, the building maximizes both performance and safe public/private access.
They have achieved 100% VOC compliance and earned all possible points under the LEED v4.1 Low-Emitting Materials credit reflecting a deep commitment to indoor environmental quality. Its all-electric, low-EUI energy profile is powered by a high-efficiency HVAC system with displacement air distribution and aggressive filtration. This with indoor-air monitoring ensures a healthy environment in the school despite being adjacent to the busy MassPike and I-93 freeways. Sustainability features include the rooftop garden that utilizes and slows the off-site flow of stormwater, mitigates heat island impacts, and supports pollinators while providing fresh-air environment for wellness where students gather, learn and unwind. Located in a transit-rich area, the school reduces dependency on automobiles and supports walkability, bicycling, and mass transit for students and staff.
Tentative Schedule
| 1:00 PM | Doors open, registration, networking and coffee |
| 1:30 PM | Welcome by NESEA |
| 1:40 PM | Overview of the project by the host |
| 2:30 PM | Tour of project begins; attendees rotate through content-specific stations |
| 4:30 PM | Reception with light refreshments |
| 4:45 PM | Q&A panel with members of project team |
| 5:30 PM | Event concludes |
If you have questions about this event, you can contact us via protours@nesea.org. Interested in sponsoring this event? Learn more here.