Boston – Finegold Alexander Architects announced it launched FA Energy, a new division that has been developed to help institutions both large and small meet their commitments toward a carbon-free future at all scales, from individual buildings to campus-wide or portfolio bases.
Finegold Alexander works closely with clients and engineers to implement climate action plans and decarbonization goals. From providing architectural design support for larger engineering-led master plans, assessing existing and historic buildings for synergistic interventions to push the needle on campus decarbonization goals, or campus energy center design, the firm provides streamlined and informed recommendations to enhance energy-efficiency and reduce carbon footprints of the existing buildings.
“Finegold Alexander’s hard-won expertise in historic preservation and adaptive reuse and our design thinking puts us in a great position to really pull back and look at the bigger picture for these buildings as institutions make energy system changes,” stated Lara Pfadt, associate and sustainability strategist. “We enjoy working with clients who are just as committed as we are to reducing carbon emissions of existing buildings.”
Over the last several years, Finegold Alexander has worked with numerous higher education clients, such as MIT, Amherst College, Smith College, and Wellesley College, and engineering partners to assist in big-picture thinking, from recommending building envelope changes to coordinating system work within buildings to enable the best performance for low temperature hot water systems, minimize first costs and disruptions to building fabric. These studies and solutions are designed to help higher ed campuses save on energy costs today, maintain the integrity of existing buildings, and enable them to meet their decarbonization goals.
“The task of identifying, prioritizing, and rectifying the deficits of these buildings – particularly those of deep historical value – can be a daunting one. Because so much of our building stock exists, and our historic buildings represent our collective heritage, decarbonizing these buildings is key to our sustainable future. We are so excited to launch FA Energy, formalize this capability and work with clients to decarbonize our communities,” said Rebecca L. Berry, principal and director of sustainability.
