LEED Rating System: LEED-CI
LEED Rating: GOLD
Date Completed: August, 2010
The Biological Laboratories (BioLabs) Building Lecture Hall, located on the first floor of 16 Divinity Avenue in Cambridge, MA, is a 1,780 square foot renovation project undertaken by the Harvard Faculty of Arts of Sciences (FAS) to modernize an existing lecture hall. The overall intent of this project is to renew the space and to provide the infrastructure needed to support contemporary teaching and presentation methods. The BioLabs Building, originally constructed in 1954, is a five-story building that provides lab and classroom space for multiple Harvard organizations.
The renovation was an opportunity to reconfigure the space to meet programmatic requirements, such as handicapped accessibility, updated finishes and furnishings, and increased efficiency and quality of the lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning controls. Construction was completed in August 2010. From the early stages of conceptual design, the project team was focused on achieving sustainability objectives by reducing energy use while maintaining occupant comfort within the space. The renovation leverages a more efficient mechanical system to minimize energy waste. As part of Harvard’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30% below 2006 levels by 2016, inclusive of growth, FAS is committed to sustainability. The BioLabs Lecture Hall project is evidence of this commitment.
