“In December 2009, EPA Region 1 moved into this renovated structure. Built in 1933, the 23-story, approximately 700,000 square foot historic John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse (POCH) in downtown Boston is a beautiful example of Art Deco architecture. EPA Region 1 is the primary tenant in the building, occupying approximately 329,000 rentable square feet of space. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and EPA worked together on a major historic renovation that removed all mechanical and electrical components of the original building but reused an impressive 99 percent of the original structure.

“The building achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for New Construction (LEED-NC) version 2.2 Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in June 2010.

“The Region 1 Office Renovation Team won an FY 2009 Sustainable Partner of the Year Award for the green renovation of the new Region 1 Office. The team was a significant asset in coordinating with EPA Headquarters and GSA on the green roof, LEED certification, and green power purchasing. The team was also helpful in leading building tours and producing videos of the sustainable features for the region’s staff and management.

“A green roof accessible from the 5th floor and covering the 4th and 5th floor roof insulates the McCormack POCH, cutting down on energy use and costs. Native and drought-resistant plants filter bacteria and other pollutants from stormwater runoff and provide a pleasant garden for the building occupants. The vegetated roof minimizes the urban heat island effect. Plantings are visible from many floors of the building,” (Greening EPA, see Additional Resources).

The McCormack Building’s 11,115 sf GreenGrid extensive greenroof was installed on the fourth floor in 2009. Cisterns capture stormwater runoff from the upper 5th floor, which a solar-powered pump transports to irrigate the green roofs when needed; no potable water is used.