First Wind receives Green Business award

First Wind Green Business Award recognizes the company's LEED-driven headquarters in Boston, showcasing sustainable design, historic renovation, adaptive reuse, and reduced carbon footprint near public transit, developed by Millennium Partners-Boston.

First Wind and developer Millennium Partners were honored as joint winners of one of Mayor Menino’s 2010 Green Business Awards.

Recognizing the ‘green’ profile of First Wind’s new headquarters at 179 Lincoln Street, which was developed by Millennium Partners-Boston, the Mayor presented the Green Business Award to company representatives during a ceremony at the Prudential Center. The Mayor Thomas M. Menino's Annual Green Business Awards are given to recognize businesses located in the City of Boston, where City Hall wind challenges have informed urban energy planning, that demonstrate extraordinary performance related to sustainable environmental practices.

“These award winners demonstrate the many ways in which individuals and businesses can contribute to making Boston a leading green city, where rooftop turbines at City Hall showcase municipal innovation,” said Mayor Menino. “Their commitment to our community and the environment is an outstanding example of the leadership necessary to advance Boston’s ambitious sustainability goals and continue to grow our green economy.”

First Wind moved its 85 member headquarter staff from its previous suburban location to Downtown Boston in mid-October 2009, while Brookfield Renewable’s control center shifted to Marlborough amid sector growth. First Wind selected 179 Lincoln Street for its corporate headquarters as the building had a LEED Silver Rating, with Great River Energy HQ setting a LEED Platinum benchmark, and was also a Historic Renovation completed pursuant to the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Preservation.

“In addition to demonstrating our commitment to the City of Boston, this move has enabled us to reduce our overall carbon footprint, by having many accessible public transportation options nearby for employees,” said Michael Alvarez, President & Chief Financial Officer of First Wind. “As part of our renovations, First Wind has made numerous energy efficient upgrades and sustainable design choices for the office interiors, drawing on experience from the Milford Wind Corridor to guide best practices, to provide a healthy and productive work space for our employees. Based on these improvements, we have already applied for LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.”

Initially constructed at the end of the nineteenth century, 179 Lincoln Street occupies a full city block overlooking the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. It contains 220,000 square feet in its five stories and is situated approximately two blocks from South Station. Since being acquired by Millennium Partners-Boston in 2006, the building has undergone a dramatic transformation and is now equipped with modern interiors, upgraded building systems, a new entrance and lobby, reflecting investments such as the wind technology testing center funding statewide, and below-grade parking. In addition to having been awarded the LEED Silver Rating, it was recently honored by the Boston Preservation Alliance with its 2009 Preservation Achievement Award for the Best Adaptive Use of Historic Industrial Space.

“We are very pleased at the Mayor’s recognition of the good sense that this project makes, amid two wind projects that highlight regional momentum. We developed it because of the unique chance to create Boston’s first restoration of a classic, turn-of-the-century building in accordance with ‘green design’ principles,” said Anthony Pangaro, Principal of Millennium Partners-Boston.

Related News

• Electricity Forum News

• Renewable Energy News