Sustainable = Smart Our objective on every project is to lead by example, supporting conservation strategies and buildings that use land, energy, water and materials efficiently. With a range of innovative programs targeting environmental restoration, architectural design, transit alternatives and renewable energy, Forbes will become the region’s most visible and dynamic example of smart growth development.
1. Sustainable Design & Construction
- All units built almost entirely of durable, natural and renewable materials, including re-use of existing brick walls and concrete floors.
- Demolition materials will be reused to the greatest extent possible. Less than 20% of all demolition debris will end up in landfills.
- Lofts designed with open floor plans and exposed surface mounted mechanical systems for adaptive reuse by future generations.
- Large scale recycling of former industrial buildings.
- Oversized windows encourage passive ‘free’ heating and cooling systems.
2. Multi-modal transit options
- Shared community owned upgraded hybrid plug-in cars to be replaced with fully electric when highway rated models are available.
- Water taxi for daily Boston commutes.
- Possible reactivation of the commuter rail.
- Shuttle van to Beachmont T station.
- Ride sharing bulletin board accessible through online community.
3. Wildlife Habitat Creation
- 12 acres along the water’s edge permanently preserved for critical populations of migratory birds and spawning fish.
- Water taxi for daily Boston commutes.
- Birds include the Snowy Egret, Willet, Green Heron, Nelson’s Sharp Tailed Sparrow, Short Eared Owls, American Bittern and Plover.
- Others wildlife sightings include bluefish, herring, crabs, mollusks, and harbor seals.
4. Waste Management
- A central recycling center will encourage and simplify the process of waste management.
- Residents will be allocated garbage bags for any non-recycled refuse.
- All recycled materials will be sold in bulk and the proceeds will go into the building operations fund.
5. Energy Initiatives
- A 600 kW wind turbine located on-site will produce clean electricity for community use. One single meter for entire site will spin backwards during time of excess electrical production.
- By utilizing wind energy at Forbes Park, existing fossil-fuel sources of power are displaced and there is an overall improvement to air quality.
- Bulk purchasing of utilities to eliminate individual meter charges and peak shaving; purchasing electricity when rates are their lowest.
- Conservation measures to include use of compact fluorescent light bulbs, Energy star appliances, and utilizing of internal day lighting, and energy-free cooling system.
- Units will be heated through healthy and highly efficient radiant concrete floors.
- The "Forbes Orb", a signal light device indicating to residents and local community when electricity is free, cheap, and costly to not only wallets, but the environment as well.
- Solar panels applied to each phase of construction contributing to energy independence.
6. Storm-water Management
- Previously, untreated storm-water and waste drained directly into the adjacent waterways.
- Newly designed system will capture and reuse rainwater, harvested from a large onsite canal with capacity in excess of 1,000,000 gallons.
- Excess rainwater will spill over an elevated weir into a proposed lower tidal salt-marsh environment for natural filtration, oxygenation, salinization, and the addition of plant and animal life for a safe reintroduction into the Mill Creek without shocking the existing salt water ecosystem.
- This clean, free storm water will be used to flush bathrooms.
7. Preservation of the Natural Environment
- Restoration of wetlands and salt marsh.
- Preservation of five, 140 year old pin-oak trees at the site entrance.
- Indigenous new plantings; coastal shrubs, grasses and trees.
- Introduce rare and threatened vegetation to the property where appropriate.
- New vegetation to be habitat friendly, to attract and sustain butterflies and birds
8. Waterfront Access
- Along the coastal perimeter of the entire site, a paved boardwalk will be installed on top of the new seawall.
- This will provide Chelsea residents much needed public access to the waterfront.
- Park benches will offer quiet sitting areas with views of the Boston skyline.
- We hope to inspire others to similarly utilize the waterfront for publicly accessible recreational use.
