Ropes & Gray’s New Boston Office Awarded Gold LEED Certification

In The News
March 7, 2011

In recognition of outstanding achievement for green interiors, the U.S. Green Building Council has awarded Gold LEED Certification to Ropes & Gray’s new Boston office at the Prudential Tower.

The LEED green certification program encourages sustainable green building and development practices through independent third-party evaluation and certification of building projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance. Ropes & Gray was recognized in the commercial interiors category, the green benchmark for the tenant improvement market, which awards projects that are designed, constructed and operated as sustainable, healthy places to work with a reduced environmental footprint.

“We are extremely honored to receive the Gold LEED Certification for our new Boston office,” said John Montgomery, managing partner of Ropes & Gray. “A huge effort went into creating a space that satisfied LEED’s high standards. It’s a reflection of our ongoing commitment to sustainable choices.”

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a program of the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit collective of business leaders that recognizes buildings, interiors and communities that are designed, built and operated in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. In October 2010, Ropes & Gray moved its Boston offices to the Prudential Tower, where it occupies more than 475,000 square feet of space on 17 floors. The firm’s office space was designed by Gensler and built by StructureTone.

Ropes & Gray’s choices that contributed to its Gold LEED certification include:

  • Diverting more than 75 percent of construction waste and debris to recycling plants and away from local landfills.
  • Implementing an indoor air quality management plan that protects air distribution systems from construction debris.
  • Using glass walls in offices and conference rooms to maximize natural light and reduce reliance on artificial lighting.
  • Installing low-flow plumbing fixtures, which reduce the firm’s water usage by more than 40 percent below established industry standards.
  • Applying adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings that are low in volatile organic compounds and minimize the release of harmful gases.
  • Using recycled materials to reduce the need to harvest, mine and manufacture virgin components.
  • Installing carpets certified as Green Label Plus, which do not emit harmful byproducts.
  • Using wood from certified responsibly managed forests that prohibit mass forest cutting and support reforestation efforts.
  • Purchasing Energy Star equipment, including all computers and office machines, minimizing energy use.