Specialty
Air Quality
SECTOR
Commercial
TYPE
Environmental Study
CLIENTELE
Private Sector
TIMESPAN
2008LOCATION
Bridgewater, MA
Project Number:
2908Lakeshore Center
SERVICE:
Office Park Air Quality Analysis
DESCRIPTION:
Lakeshore Center is a proposed office park in Bridgewater, Massachusetts near the interchange of Route 24 and Interstate 495, and abutting Lake Nippenicket. When completed, Lakeshore Center will boast over 850,000 square feet of office space. The proposed facility required greenhouse gas (GHG) and mesoscale air quality analyses to satisfy Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act's (MEPA) air quality requirements for the project.
Tech Environmental quantified carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and evaluated eight mitigation measures to reduce the project's direct and indirect energy-related emissions of CO2 by approximately 25.8% and 26.2%, respectively. The study determined that overall, GHG mitigation efforts are expected to reduce the project's overall CO2 emissions by approximately 18.5%.
Additionally, Tech Environmental conducted a mesoscale air quality analysis for the proposed project to assess emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The project will mitigate potential air quality impacts by committing to a number of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies and roadway/traffic signal improvements for the project. Incentives will be provided to help increase the effectiveness of the voluntary TDM measures. The TDM measures will improve traffic operations, reduce project generated vehicle trips, and reduce project-related motor vehicle air pollutant emissions. These mitigation measures will result in small reductions in VOC and NOx emissions compared to the 2013 Build case. The proposed TDM measures and roadway/traffic signal improvements constitute all reasonable and feasible traffic mitigation measures for a project that is not well-served by public transportation.