Boston, Massachusetts—Incorporating Hazards into the Development Process. Boston is applying a variety of strategies to ensure businesses pan for coastal hazards and climate change presented by John Dalzell, Boston Redevelopment Authority

1. City of Boston
Climate Change and
Sea Level Rise Preparedness
John Dalzell, AIA, LEED Fellow
Boston Redevelopment Authority
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

2. Practice
Transformation
Green Building Zoning
E+ Green Buildings
E+ Green Communities
LEED for ND
EcoDistricts
CCP&R Check Lists
BLwW Competition
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

3. Green Building Zoning – Article 37
USGBC MAPING:
GBIG.org
Article 37 Review
50 Plus Projects Approved
14 M+ SF
2/3rd USGBC Certified
LEED Certified Projects
140 Plus Projects Certified
37 M+ SF
9 Platinum
56 Gold
46 Silver
29 Certified Projects
LEED Registered Projects
223+ Projects Registered
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

4. E+ Green Buildings Completed
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium
Energy Positive
LEED H Platinum

5. E+ Green Communities
Building the E+ Success
 E+ GB Goals PLUS
• Neighborhood
Sustainability
• Place-making and
Site Planning
• Building and
Community
Sustainability
 Expanding Market
Transformation
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

6. E+ Green Communities Proposed
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium
Platinum

7. E+ Green Communities Proposed
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

8. LEED ND Projects Jackson Square
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

9. LEED ND Planning
Columbia Point Master Plan
GOALS
 For Columbia Point development projects
ensure alignment of Master Plan
recommendations with LEED ND criteria.
 Improve the sustainability guidelines of
Master Plan and the performance area
projects.
TASKS
 Score the Master Plan using applicable
LEED ND Prerequisites and Credits.
 Recommend a LEED ND outcome (score
and credits) for projects within the Master
Plan area.
 Identify potential improvements to the
Master Plan for internal team
consideration.
 Highlight key criteria for use and inclusion
in the Master Plan.
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

10. EcoDistricts Innovation District
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

11. CCP & R Check List
Required of All Large Projects (50,000 SF plus)
 Extreme Weather and Heat Events
 Sea Level Rise and Storms
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

12. CCP & R Check List
All Mechanical, Electrical and
Emergency Systems Located
on the Roof
No Critical Uses on
the Ground Floor
Key Operable Window
Second Level Egress Way
Ground Floor Elevated 30”
above 100 yr Flood Plain
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium 12

13. CCP & R Check List
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

14. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium
Site 1 – BUILDING
Prince Building, Historic North End
Site 2 – NEIGHBORHOOD
100 Acres, South Boston
Site 3 – INFRASTRUCTURE
Morrissey Blvd, Dorchester
… envisioning a more resilient, more
sustainable, and more beautiful Boston
adapted for end-of-century climate
conditions and rising sea levels.

15. Boston Living with Water Competition
Prince Spaghetti Building, North End
Harbor, Building Scale, Historic Bldgs, Infrastructure
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium
 Waterfront site in the
velocity zone - wind / wave
action impacts
 Large existing historic
structure offers building
retrofit / adaptation focus
 Infrastructure issues include
roadway as barrier
opportunities
 Willing and interested
owners provide real-world
context.
 Highly replicable context

16. Boston Living with Water Competition
Prince Spaghetti Building, North End
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium

17. FLOOD PROGRESSION

18. MHHW + 1’

19. MHHW + 2’

20. MHHW + 3’

21. MHHW + 4’

22. MHHW + 5’
100 Yr. Flood

23. MHHW + 6’

24. MHHW + 7’

25. Boston Living with Water Competition
100 Acres, South Boston
Inner Harbor, Large Area, Blank Slate, Open Space / Infrastructure
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium
 Inner harbor – tidal, sea-level
rise and storm surge
 New development with large
blank slate building
opportunities
 Infrastructure issues include
building / roadway interface,
utilities, and access
 Master Plan framework
might provide for more
structured responses
 Strong building and open
space solution opportunities
 Highly replicable building
and site solutions

26. Boston Living with Water Competition
t
100 Acres, South Boston

27. Boston Living with Water Competition
Morrissey Blvd, Dorchester
Off Harbor, Large Area, Blank Slate / Bldgs, Infrastructure
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium
 Off harbor with known
flooding problems– tidal,
sea-level rise and storm
surge
 Several new development
large blank slate
opportunities
 Infrastructure leading
challenge with potential to
bring together several public
agencies

28. Morrissey Blvd, Dorchester

29. Practice Transformation
 Leadership: elected and stakeholders
 Partnership: public and private
 Market: commoditize and reward
 Regulatory: standards and frameworks
 Vision: far reaching yet attainable
A more resilient, more sustainable,
and more beautiful Boston
Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium