Boston University (BU) announced that its Center for Computing & Data Sciences (CCDS) has been awarded LEED Platinum certification. At 19 storeys tall and 345,000 sq. ft., the building is one of the largest in the University’s history. Entuitive is proud to have provided structural engineering and building envelope consultation on the project, with envelope and façade design contributing directly to realizing BU’s sustainability goals.
Built to be sustainable by design, the structure sits atop an extensive network of subterranean geothermal wells to provide heating and cooling. It also has a state-of-the art façade that turns heads just as much as the building’s awe-inspiring architecture. Featuring counter-clockwise cantilevered levels every three floors, BU’s CCDS is not connected to any gas line and is 100% fossil fuel-free.
10/6/22 — Boston, Massachusetts
Boston University’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences.
Photo by Janice Checchio for Boston University Photography.
As Building Envelope consultant on the project, Entuitive’s façade design work directly impacts reduction in mechanical system requirements and energy demand. Specific highlights include:
Optimizing façade detailing for constructability and performance, including the complex integration of exterior shading elements into a unitized curtain wall façade
Evaluating glazing performance metrics to deliver required thermal performance while optimizing daylighting and solar heat gain
Delivery of detailed thermal performance analysis to optimize curtain wall layouts (opaque-to-vision) and to maximize thermal performance of system detailing
Extensive performance mockup and site testing for façade and roofing systems, including participation in enclosure verification, testing, and commissioning process
Students gather in the open spaces during the first week of classes at CCDS on January 20, 2023.
Photo by Jackie Ricciardi for Boston University
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. Through design, construction, and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings are helping make the world more sustainable.
The sustainability efforts of the building were designed to align with the University’s broader Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce BU’s carbon emissions to zero by 2040. Opened in December 2022, CCDS is home to BU’s Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, its Mathematics & Statistics Department, and its Computer Sciences Program.
For more information on Entuitive’s role within the Design-Assist project delivery model for Boson University’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences, have a look at this article co-authored by Entuitive associate and project lead, Jamie Hamelin.