Project: Frauhofer’s Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE)
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization, Fraunhofer focuses its efforts on people’s needs: health, security, communication, energy and the environment. As a result, the work of its researchers and developers has a significant impact on people’s lives. When the company decided to relocate the U.S. headquarters for one of its research divisions, the Center for Sustainable Energy Systems, to Boston’s Innovation District, employing sustainable energy strategies topped the list of priorities. The interior of the new building — a 100-year-old piece of history — underwent a deep energy retrofit, incorporating today’s most advanced sustainable building products. CertainTeed’s AirRenew Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Drywall was an integral component of architect DiMella Shaffer’s LEED® Gold design strategy. Since people spend about 90% of their time indoors, the air quality inside buildings should be as unpolluted as possible. Formaldehyde and other aldehydes are the most common interior pollutants and can cause serious health issues. To help avoid this pollution, the team chose AirRenew for the building’s walls. This industry-first drywall actively helps clean indoor air by capturing formaldehyde and converting it into an inert compound that remains safely within the board. Measurements of contamination were taken before the rebuild began and throughout construction. Thanks to AirRenew’s unique qualities, there was a radical decrease in excess formaldehyde over time, improving the building’s overall indoor air quality. It also showed that these new building operation practices provide effective solutions for reducing exposure to harmful air pollutants.
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