The design plans for Westwood’s Fire Station One will include features which would lead to a new fire station building that is “LEED certifiable,” but not “LEED certified,” said Assistant Town Administrator/Human Resource Director Molly Kean in a presentation to Westwood Select Board during its May 28th remotely convened meeting.
A working group which consists of two elected officials along with many more appointed town officials, employees, and consultants, has determined to plan for a design for Fire Station One that would qualify for LEED certification. However, it would forgo the costly third-party certification process, said Ms. Kean.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a building ratings system that encourages green building design, construction, operations and performance. The LEED certification path can include considerations like the carbon impact of a building, water conservation, day lighting, and sustainable materials selection.
From now through July 2024, the fire station project is in the schematic design phase, during which Fire Department programmatic needs are identified and architects incorporate them into the new building design, said Ms. Kean. The working group will soon be making recommendations regarding exterior design of the building.
Upcoming discussions will include sustainability and energy efficiency topics, such as geothermal heating and solar panels, she said.
Additional discussions are also anticipated to include the temporary relocation of the town's I-net, its communications network which is currently located in Station One.
Regarding the project’s timeline, Ms. Kean noted that she would be posting the information to the Town of Westwood’s website.
Along with Ms. Kean, the working group includes Select Board Chair Joe Previtera, Town Administrator Christopher Coleman, Fire Chief Steve Lund, Assistant Fire Chief Colin McCarthy, Captains Valluzzi, Mahan, Pierce, and Kilroy, Director of Community and Economic Development Nora Loughnane, Building Commissioner Mike Perkins, Director of Facilities Jim McCarthy, Permanent Building Committee Chair John Cummings, Nancy Hyde, and representatives from Dore and Whittier and the Owner Project Manager firm.
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