Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Goes ''Green''

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August 08, 2007 10:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Goes ''Green''

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Health Plan Unveils South Shore’s First Silver Eligible LEED® Building

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Soaring walls of light-streaming glass and angles that

conspire to blend the indoors with the green outdoors serve as a stunningly

silent introduction to all that makes 25 Technology Place the South Shore’s

first “green” building to be eligible for a silver LEED® (Leadership in Energy

and Environmental Design) certification. Guests at the office building’s August

7th Open House were not only privy to the strategic aesthetics of “green”

architecture, but, also, the innovative technology that defines sustainable

building design.

Located on the Rockland-Hingham line, 25 Technology Place is the anchor of Blue

Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ (BCBSMA) South Shore real estate strategy to

move away from leased properties and toward the fiscal savings of property

ownership. BCBSMA expects a projected 25 percent savings through the energy and

operational efficiencies of sustainable design and through the advantages of

ownership. The 333,000-square-foot building was designed and constructed using

“green,” or sustainable, practices because of the very infrastructure savings

and productivity enhancements they provide.

“As an employer, the health and productivity of our employees is tremendously

important to us,” said Maltz, Chief Financial Officer of BCBSMA. “As a

health plan, we believe anything we can do to increase the productivity of our

employees improves the quality and efficiency of the service our members receive

– the most important business objective we have.”

“The overall goal for any sustainable building, and what resonated most deeply

with BCBSMA, is to create a work environment that is healthier and more

beneficial to the productivity and well-being of its occupants, while minimizing

detrimental impacts on the environment,” said Dan Perruzzi of Margulies and

Associates, the architects of the project.

“Equally attractive is that sustainable buildings use less energy to heat and

cool, they cost less to maintain, and they employ renewable resource materials.”

The green features of the building’s healthy workplace design focus on air

quality, access to and enhancement of natural light, and the integration of the

building’s natural surroundings. To cut down on common contributors to mold and

air pollutants, the building’s exterior wall was carefully designed to eliminate

moisture transfer and to limit air infiltration. All of the materials used for

the building’s interior, such as carpeting, paints, and sealants, are low VOC

(volatile organic compounds) so as to eliminate off-gassing, a phenomenon that

contributes to poor air quality. To avoid dependence on artificial light and the

institutional effects associated with it, the placement of workstations and

related view angles were designed to maximize access to day light and views to

the exterior for all occupants.

As economical as it is stunning, the building was designed with energy saving

measures throughout. The building’s high performing exterior wall and high

performance glazing systems will greatly reduce heat loss in winter and heat

gain in summer. Deep overhangs cast shadows on exterior windows to reduce heat

gain and air conditioning loads. The building’s white roof similarly cuts down

on energy costs by reflecting heat. Sensors reduce the artificial light levels

as incoming natural light increases. With exterior views at more than 95 percent

of the building’s seating locations, the extensive use of natural light further

reduces energy costs.

If sustainability lends advancement to the building’s design, its functionality

is just as cutting-edge. Designated as the backup data center for all of

BCBSMA’s member and provider transactions, an entire wing of the building is

self-sufficient for voice/data, desktop power and cooling. This means that

claims to hospitals, physicians, pharmacists and other providers will continue

in the event of a natural disaster or major power interruption.

“This building is about responsible stewardship,” said Maltz of BCBSMA.

“Stewardship of our accounts’ business investments, our members’ premiums, our

employees’ health, and the natural environment we all share.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com) was founded 69

years ago by a group of community-minded business leaders. Today, headquartered

in Boston, BCBSMA provides coverage to 3 million members. BCBSMA believes in

rewarding doctors and hospitals for delivering safe and effective care, and in

empowering patients to take more responsibility, become educated health care

consumers and become stronger partners with their doctors. Blue Cross Blue

Shield of Massachusetts is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield

Association.

Contacts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Leahy, 617-246-4823

susan.leahy-schuh@...

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