The Homes at Old Colony continues path toward sustainable housing

BOSTON — The second phase of Boston’s The Homes at Old Colony public housing community serves as a sustainable, affordable public housing community. The project, which is broken up into three phases, will eventually remake the 16.7-acre affordable housing complex.

With the help of the design team — which includes The Architectural Team, Petersen Engineering, DJ Plumbing and Heating, and Chiller Tech — some of the sustainable design strategies, which helped Phase II achieve LEED and Energy Star ratings, include:

• Permeable concrete pavers and infiltration leaching galleys.

• Water efficiency: efficient irrigation system, low-flow plumbing fixtures.

• Energy: high-performing water pipe insulation, non-HCFC refrigerants.

• Materials: low-VOC flooring, sealants and paints; no added urea-formaldehyde, locally produced aggregate and drywall, and 85% of construction waste diverted from landfill.

• Indoor air quality: closed and vented combustion; outdoor air and local exhaust meet ASHRAE 62.1 and 62.2 (2007).

• Non-smoking: Since its inception, Old Colony has been a non-smoking community (throughout the buildings as well as on site). The entire Beacon Communities housing portfolio, more than 12,000 apartments, went 100% smoke free on August 1, 2015.

Among the many strategies employed to get the most environmental and economic value for the buildings and site while meeting the LEED for Homes program requirements, the team focused on quality construction practices for durability and indoor air quality, and a well-sealed and highly insulated envelope (walls, doors and windows, roof and floor slabs) to maximize energy efficiency.  

The energy-efficient, high-performing residences and neighborhood designed to meet the LEED for Neighborhood Development standards (pursuing LEED Gold certification) have turned this community into a national model for sustainable multifamily design and desirable urban living.

Redevelopment of Old Colony

The master plan, which includes new streets and view corridors, as well as the new buildings that have been certified at the Platinum level under LEED for Homes and LEED for Homes Mid-Rise standards for the earlier phase, has knit Old Colony back into the fabric of the South Boston neighborhood.

First constructed in 1940, the entire parcel at one time contained 873 units in 22 three-story brick buildings. Phase II is an extension of Phase I, which was featured two years ago in CONTRACTOR magazine, and provides healthy, energy efficient apartments for low-income individuals and families with 40 more new apartments completed in June 2015.

Beacon Communities Development, a nationally recognized developer of affordable housing, and The Architectural Team, a master planning and architectural design firm, announced the completion of 40 residential apartments. These 40 units are the completion of Phases One and Two, totaling 169 apartments. South Boston's Old Colony public housing development had become a symbol of poor housing conditions, until the introduction of federal funds and an innovative master plan and green-building design approach began to undertake redevelopment of the community. 

“The continuing redevelopment of Old Colony reflects our commitment to building sustainable, affordable housing communities and neighborhoods,” said Pam Goodman, CEO of Beacon Communities. “We love being part of the redevelopment of Old Colony as well as the broader South Boston community.”

The original master planning for the redevelopment of Old Colony, by Chan Kreiger NBBJ, involved the demolition of seven dilapidated buildings, and the design and construction of numerous new buildings to create an entirely new affordable housing community.

The breakdown of existing superblocks was replaced with new neighborhood scale blocks. The firm designed midrise and townhome buildings with diverse architecture and heights, responsive to the surrounding context and incorporated new pedestrian-friendly streets and open spaces to provide access and view corridors to the adjacent park and waterfront. Phase I provides 116 LEED Platinum Certified affordable units, and a 10,000-sq.-ft. LEED Gold Certified learning center.

"Phase II of Old Colony consisted of adding 169 units in midrise buildings and townhomes and is an expansion of the first phase which completely transformed the physical profile of the property, as well as the lives of those it serves,” said Jay Szymanski, associate, The Architectural Team, Inc. “We're looking forward to beginning the third phase with our many partners and collaborators, and continuing to create the opportunity for a prosperous, thriving community."

Phase II of the project, which broke ground in November 2012, will cost an estimated $80 million and is partially funded by a $22 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant. The City of Boston Neighborhood Housing Trust also contributed $1 million to the project along with $3.5 million in state bond funds and low income housing tax credits from the state, according to the City of Boston.

“Phase II is taking advantage of a combination of renewable energy approaches including solar panels on buildings that are property oriented and the purchase of 20-years of Renewable Energy Credits,” said Darcy L Jameson, development director with Beacon.

Phases II A and B included 129 apartments completed in summer 2014 that achieved LEED for Homes and LEED for Homes Mid-Rise Platinum level certification, the highest available, with the final 40 apartments under Phase Two C just reaching completion and tracking to get LEED Platinum as well. Old Colony is also designed to EPA’s Energy Star and HUD Healthy Homes Guidelines, and the revitalized site is anticipating a LEED for Neighborhood Development certification.

Michael D. Binette, AIA, principal at The Architectural Team notes that the homes also incorporate energy-efficient mechanical systems, appliances and lighting, as well as high-recycled content and healthy materials. Facilitated by New Ecology, Inc., Binette noted that that the foundation for the sustainable design started with a "Green Charrette," including the design and development team and residents.