Official Team Documents (PDFs)

Statement of Purpose Top Ten Priorities Green Team Recommendations for RFPs LEED Recommendation

The Green Team is a group of volunteer citizens which advises the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager and other Town boards on the development of environmental criteria for all town projects.

The Team provides review of
(1) existing and proposed practices and
(2) of projects proposed for public property, to ensure that the Town has considered energy and resource conservation as well as other sustainable practices in the construction of new facilities and in the carrying-out of other Town functions.

The Team will also function as an ecological community resource for private citizens, and as an information clearinghouse with regard to issues of sustainable design and planning.

History

Formed in early 2001, the Green Team advised the School Building Committee on the implementation of the Master Plan. We have also worked on the Harvey Wheeler Community Center, the Town Pool, and on the CCHS Planning Committee and CPS Facilities Planning Committee.

In the Fall of 2001 a Town-wide open meeting was held at 141 Keyes Road. Further presentations will be held to promote the goals of the Team. A REUSIT column in the Concord Journal was written by one of the Team members inviting further public participation.

Top Ten Priorities

1. Hire an architect with a commitment to sustainable design and experience in how to do it. One who will be a leader in the process of creating outstanding projects.
2. Include in the architect's scope of work complete LEED evaluation and design. LEED stands for Leadership in Environmental Design, the recognized standard for sustainable design. Include Integrated Design and Energy Modeling in the process.
3. Use a "payback" period of at least the duration of the bond by which the projects are financed (the most fiscally conservative time frame).
4. Use high standards for indoor air quality (including mechanical air conditioning), acoustic and thermal comfort, and daylighting for more engaged and better-performing students and teachers.
5. Architecture as Legacy: Use creative architectural design to design buildings with a true sense of place, places that we will be proud of as community facilities.
6. Orient buildings to avoid excessive heat gain and capture daylight for lighting (saving energy).
7. Site the projects in an environmentally responsive way, including consideration of wetlands, limited paving areas and porous paving to limit runoff and use drought-tolerant plant species (xeriscaping) and "gray water" to limit water use.
8. Use recycled and durable materials to lessen environmental impact. Use materials with no or low volatile organic compounds to avoid polluting indoor air.
9. Use construction procedures that recycle materials and avoid impacting occupants of occupied buildings.
10. Engage an independent commissioning agent early in the design process to ensure that the design will work and commission the project at completion. Commissioning verifies that equipment has been installed and adjusted and that systems are functioning as designed to provide good air quality and thermal comfort.