Last week Tufts University celebrated the official opening of the Science and Engineering Complex (SEC). The opening events included remarks from elected officials – US Senator Ed Markey and Medford Mayor Stephanie Muccini Burke as well as Tufts University President Anthony P. Monaco. Several of the speakers remarked on the beauty of the building and its embodiment of the University’s commitment to research and the future.
Throughout the program, we heard several comments about the light-filled atrium that has become a hub of student activity. Every day students pour into the building for classes, study sessions and research. In addition to the atrium with a soaring glass ceiling, many of the speakers commented on the flexibility of the building, which they hope will lead to cross-disciplinary work and other serendipitous connections. University President Monaco also noted that the construction techniques and systems within the building reflect the University’s commitment to sustainability. The building is tracking LEED Gold and has an EUI of 112 kBtu/SF.
We can’t wait to see what scientific discoveries happen within the walls of the SEC.
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Science and Engineering Complex Officially Dedicated
Tufts University begins new era of innovation, discovery with opening of Science and Engineering Complex
Opening later this year, the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard in Cambridge, MA is an essay in the tuning of building façades for performance. The aluminum sunshades that veil the building began as a concept tested by scoring Bristol paper. The team utilized tools from all modalities: paper models, CNC-mills, parametric studies, solar analysis, wind and water simulations and full-scale mock-ups to inform the design and drive energy use down. The ultra-high performance building is tracking a 61% reduction in energy use compared to the 2030 baseline.
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