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Username
Jason Jewhurst
Proposer First Name
Jason
Proposer Email
jjewhurst@brunercott.com
Proposer Last Name
Jewhurst
Proposer Company/Organization
Bruner/Cott Architects
Proposer Phone
(617) 492-8400
Proposer Job Title
Partner + Principal
Proposed Session Description
This session will showcase the implementation of a high-performance façade assembly on an existing high rise concrete multi-family housing building complex and the resulting measured data of operational energy and water consumption. In addition to addressing climate resilience, we will discuss how the project addresses community resilience by allowing the tenants to remain in their homes through construction and improving the quality of their spaces through design.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Keeping and maintaining healthy, affordable housing is important in advancing racial equity and achieving economic and environmental justice. Rivermark is home to a largely black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) community. An important goal of this project was to prevent displacing residents, maintain access to public transit and not be displaced by construction. The renovation at Rivermark provided an improvement in indoor air quality, comfort, and reduced energy bills.
Learning Objectives
Learn a feasible solution to renovating existing 70’s era high rise concrete structures that are prominent throughout the US. Compare the existing building utility data to post-construction utility data.
Measure the impacts of occupied renovation on building performance improvements, indoor air quality, embodied carbon, and community resiliency.
Recognize the benefit of a high performance, unitized facade system and the identify designed results of energy modeling.
Understand the various funding opportunities for affordable housing and how they affect design decisions.
Has this session been presented before?
No
Target Audiences Level of Expertise
Level 2 - Some prior knowledge helpful.
Session Format
Presentation followed by facilitated discussion or breakout groups

Strongest Content Connection - Boston 2023

Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
Rivermark is a 1970s-era apartment complex along the Charles River that houses 300 affordable and mixed-income apartments of varying sizes. This facade replacement project has significantly lowered annual energy use, reduced water consumption, measurably improved occupant comfort, security, and resilience while also modernizing the towers’ identity to strengthen residents’ sense of community. The buildings remained fully occupied during construction and installation of the overcladding assembly and new building systems. This session will showcase the implementation of a high-performance facade assembly on an existing high rise concrete multi-family housing building complex and the resulting measured data of operational energy and water consumption. In addition to addressing climate resilience, we will discuss how the project addresses community resilience by allowing the tenants to remain in their homes through construction and improving the quality of their spaces through design.
Reviewer 1
Graeff, Marcell
Reviewer 2
Guerrieri, Alex
Proposal #
158
Committee Decision
Being Considered
Full Description
This session will provide an in-depth look at the benefits of occupied rehab, deep energy retrofit for affordable housing projects. We will share lessons learned, design, sequencing, and fabrication strategies with industry leading AEC professionals and owners to promote deep energy transformations on similar 1970’s vintage buildings. We will share strategies to optimize the tradeoffs between embodied and operational carbon. This occupied renovation and facade replacement of two 1970s-era affordable housing apartment buildings has significantly improved comfort and security as well as community identity. Its high-performance envelope has increased energy efficiency, lowered carbon emissions, and reduced residents’ living costs. Rivermark Towers is part of a national study by Massachusetts DOER, LISC, and the Rocky Mountain Institute focusing on exemplary large-scale sustainable renovations.