State picks two zero net energy projects

Submitted by Michael on Mon, 03/16/2009 - 08:26

The state has decided to move ahead with two of the three zero net energy projects recommended last week by the Zero Net Energy Task Force.

I reported previously that the governor had asked for one such recommendation, and that the task force had recommended three, in Westborough, Danvers, and Lowell, so this step is both a doubling of the state's original commitment and short of the panel's recommendation. 

The Westborough project is the headquarters of the Department of Fish and Game's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. It is about 34,000 gross square feet.

The Danvers project is North Shore Community College’s Health and Student Services Building, and is about 58,700 gross square feet.

The project not chosen was a court building in Lowell, which is planned to be almost a quarter-million gross square feet, well more than twice the space of the other two, combined. 

Robert Keough, assistant secretary for communications and public affairs at the state Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said Lowell "is still under review, both in terms of schedule for design and construction and feasibility of reaching near-zero net energy performance."

 

Speaking at Commonwealth Club

I will be speaking on the topic of food addiction at the Commonwealth Club of California, the oldest public affairs forum in the country, on Feb. 28. I'll be joining a fabulous panel of researchers and clinicians: Nicole Avena of Princeton and the University of Florida, Eric Stice of the Oregon Research Institute, Vera Tarman of Renascent Center of Toronto, abd Elissa Epel and Andrea Garber, both of the University of California at San Francisco. I am very excited to be part of the roster, not to mention to be appearing at such a great institution. Ticket information here; if you come, please stay afterward to say hello.

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