The Midrash teaches that God created many worlds and destroyed them. At the end of creating our world, God said, “This is the last world that I will create. It is yours to care for and protect, for I will not create another one.” Core Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and ba’al tashcit (do not destroy) are the driving teachings and principles that have been placed on our “green” initiatives.
Our new Beit Elohim was designed to be environmentally friendly and will conserve energy, as well as our temple community’s footprint.
Site Selection
Our new building is located on the land previously used as our parking area, and the new parking area will be located on the site of the existing school wing of our former building. The building project did not disturb any of the surrounding undeveloped land and produced a net reduction in paved areas on the Temple property. Additionally, great care was taken to protect the wetland area along the eastern edge of the Temple property between the new building and Bobolink Road. The preservation of undeveloped natural areas was a priority in the development of the design for the new Temple building.
Construction Activity and Pollution Prevention
The design team worked closely with our general contractor, Richard White Sons to ensure that best practices were followed with regard to the reduction of noise and dust pollution during construction, as well as ensuring that the impact construction will have on the site was minimal. The contractor implemented a control plan for erosion and sedimentation. Topsoil was protected during construction, and straw bales and silt fences surrounded the site to prevent runoff into the wetlands area.
Recycling During Construction
During construction the contractor implemented a plan to minimize the amount of waste that will go to landfills. They requested that the amount of packaging be minimized for building products coming to the site and that packaging that is provided to protect materials should be recyclable to the greatest extent possible. Metals were separated out for complete recycling. Asphalt, brick and concrete was separated out to be ground up and turned into gravel by a recycling facility. These and other efforts during construction minimized the total amount of waste produced, and allowed us to recycle the largest extent of the waste produced possible, while minimizing the amount of waste that ends up at a landfill.
Bicycle Transportation
Our new Temple building has been equipped with bike racks for visitors or Temple members who would like to ride their bicycle to our property.
Parking Coordination with Schofield School
The parking area for the new Temple provides the same number of parking spaces as the old building. However, the Temple has agreed with the Schofield School to coordinate parking in such a way that the Schofield School can be used as an overflow parking area for large events. Additionally, the new parking area will be located adjacent to the school’s parking area, making it easy to connect the two lots when there is a large event being held at the Temple. In reaching this agreement, the Temple will be able to double the number of readily available parking spaces while also protecting valuable natural space around the building by not covering more area with asphalt.
Habitat Protection/Restoration
As part of the new building project, the wetland area along the east edge of the Temple property will be cleaned up in spring 2011, so that the detritus that has accumulated there over the years will be taken out, improving the health of this delicate environment.
Storm water Design: Quality and Quantity
Wherever possible, the design for the new Temple attempted to minimize the area of impervious surfaces such as asphalt or concrete. The new parking area, when completed in spring 2011, will be covered with a special type of asphalt that is actually pervious to water, allowing rain and runoff to percolate through and into the ground, rather than collecting on the surface and running off onto adjacent land. The combination of carefully selected materials and minimal hard surfaces has allowed the new design to have a net reduction of impervious surfaces compared with the current building.
A special feature of the new site is a series of “rain gardens” in the parking areas. These rain gardens [planted in spring 2011] are swales planted with a specific combination of water-loving plants. During storms, rainwater is collected in these swales. The plants help to filter the water before it is returned to the ground, and the swales are designed to quickly drain back into the ground, so that no water is left in the swale within a day of a major storm. These rain gardens, apart from being beautiful, also help to reduce the amount of underground water detention chambers, filter the water from storms to clean it, and contribute to a more pleasant, attractive, and healthy ecosystem.
Heat Island Reduction
The new Temple implements a number of strategies to reduce heat island effects. A major problem with buildings and parking areas is that the usually dark surfaces will absorb a great deal of heat from the sun, creating localized increases in temperature known as a “heat island.” Heat islands are damaging to the ecosystem, are uncomfortable, and increase cooling costs.
The pedestrian walkways throughout the site will be light-colored concrete, which reflects a great deal more light than it absorbs. Additionally, the roof of the building will be white instead of black. The white roof will reflect sunlight rather than absorbing it, reducing the heat island effect as well as reducing cooling costs in the summer. In areas where a light-colored surface is not practical, as in the parking area, the landscape architect has included many trees to shade the parking area. By providing shade, the trees prevent direct sunlight from striking the parking area and heating the surface. As an added benefit, the addition of trees and other plantings in the parking area will help beautify this part of the new building.
Light Pollution
In an area such as Wellesley, and in particular in a location such as the Temple’s, it is important to minimize the amount of light that “leaks” from the building. First, it is important to avoid flooding the area with light out of respect for the neighbors. Second, a dark night sky is critical for the function of many animals and insects active at night; light pollution can disrupt their activities. The lighting design for the building has carefully avoided including any fixtures inside the building that are aimed out windows. This keeps the light inside the building where it is useful, and does not send it outside the building where it is damaging.
Exterior lighting is an important component of this project, as many events take place at night. It is important to maintain a safe and attractive environment at night while also being sensitive to the effects of light pollution. All the light fixtures in the parking area are “zero-cutoff” fixtures – the light is aimed down at the parking area, and no light is sent up into the sky. The lighting at the front wall of the building and within the courtyards has been kept to the minimum power levels, yet still provides a sense of safe and attractive entry to the Temple.
Water-efficient Landscaping
The plantings for the new Temple have been selected from local and non-invasive species. Because the species selected are adapted to this environment, the need for irrigation is minimized. This preserves potable water for other uses, and does not use this valuable resource on the plants. The irrigation system is kept to an absolute minimum, and has been designed with moisture sensors that cut off the system when it is raining to prevent waste.
Water Efficiency in our new Beit Elohim
Every plumbing fixture in the building has been selected for its water-efficient characteristics. All sinks are equipped with aerators that reduce flow volume. Toilets are all equipped with a dual-flush lever – one for liquid (small flush) and one for solid waste (larger flush). This significantly reduces water usage. Additionally, the urinals will utilize a low-volume flush.
Efficient Heating and Air Conditioning System
The mechanical engineer has designed a system that will provide heating, air-conditioning and humidity control for the new Temple that will create a comfortable working, learning and worship environment all year-round.
Five air-handling units have been provided. One for the Sanctuary, one for each side of the Community Gathering rooms, one for the north end of the building, and one for the south end of the building. These five “zones” will provide an efficient way of selectively conditioning areas of the building that are being occupied while reducing the usage of equipment for areas that are unoccupied. For example, during the summer, when the classrooms are being utilized less, that unit can be turned down. The unit that conditions the Sanctuary can be turned up or down to provide heating and cooling specifically when the space is occupied.
In addition to the five air handling units, the entire building is provided with radiant heating at all windows. Radiant heating creates a very comfortable environment for building users and dramatically reduces the feeling of “draftiness” near windows. As an added benefit, the radiant heat can keep the building warm enough overnight that all of the air handling units can be turned off, and only turned on just before the building is occupied again in the morning. This will greatly reduce the cost of heating the building.
Thermal Comfort
Thermostats have been included in each room so that users can individually control the heating and cooling levels in each room.
More importantly, all the heating and cooling equipment has been tied into a computerized central management system. This system will be designed so that heating and cooling of every space in the building can be coordinated with the schedule of use. For example, a classroom that is used for five hours a day will be heated and cooled during those hours only, and the thermostat will be “dialed back” when not in use to save energy. This system will be able to provide control on both a zone-by-zone and room-by-room basis.
Solar Power
After years of hard work and support from TBE’s Green Team, TBE added solar panels in December 2016! See our solar production here.
Recycling Program
TBE will enhance its recycling program for paper, glass, plastic and metal with a central recycling collection area adjacent to the trash pick-up area. This area is located near the kitchen and adjacent to the community gathering courtyard in an enclosed outdoor area. Recycling bins will be located in each office, classroom, and in the corridors.
Recycled Content
The design team has worked to provide materials that will have a high level of recycled content. The steel and aluminum are high-recycled content products, and additionally can be recycled in the future. Carpet tiles, floor tiles, gypsum wallboards and other interior finish products were selected with sensitivity to the environment, and all contain recycled materials.
Indoor Air Quality
All air handling equipment is equipped with filters to pull harmful particulate matter from the air as it heats or cools the air. Additionally, ventilation is provided to every room to ensure that a continuous supply of fresh air will reach every room, maintaining a health oxygen level in every space. All windows are operable, allowing the building occupants to control additional ventilation with fresh air from outside on pleasant days.
Low-Emitting Materials
The adhesives, sealants, and paints used in the project will all be low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – irritating and harmful chemicals. Products such as particleboard and plywood will contain no added formaldehyde – a similarly irritating and harmful chemical.
Chemical and Pollutant Control
The main entry vestibules at the front and rear of the building have a walk-off mat. This mat will remove the bulk of dirt, salt, and other pollutants, maintaining a clean indoor air environment.
The maintenance program in the new building will use only low- or non-toxic cleaners.
Low-Maintenance Materials
Flooring materials have been selected that balance initial costs with ongoing maintenance costs. Durable and easy-to-clean materials have been selected throughout the building to last and to minimize the amount of cleaning and maintenance over the long term. Carpet tiles were installed in the offices and a few classrooms; individual tiles can be removed and replaced if they become damaged or worn. Additionally, there was much less waste produced during installation of the tile product than with a roll product. Bio-based tile was used for most classroom spaces. This alternative to vinyl composition tile (VCT) contains no vinyl, a high recycled content, and a binder derived from corn. In addition to its green credentials, bio-based tile is stronger and more resilient than vinyl tile.
The exterior “skin” of the bulk of the building is composed of fiber-cement siding. This clapboard siding is made from Portland cement mixed with ground sand, cellulose fiber and other additives. Fiber cement siding is more durable than wood or stucco, is fire-resistant, requires little maintenance, and comes with a factory-applied paint finish that is extremely durable. This material provides the appearance of a wood clapboard building without the maintenance.
Lighting
Lighting controls have been designed in each space for a high level of user control. Each classroom has switches with multiple levels to provide lighting appropriate to the use and time of day. The Sanctuary and Community Gathering Rooms have multiple “scenes” programmed into the lighting system to provide varying levels of lighting for services, receptions, lectures, performances, etc., as the needs and time of day require. Additionally, every room was equipped with an occupancy sensor that will automatically shut the lights off in unoccupied spaces.
The majority of lighting in the building is provided by fluorescent tubes or compact fluorescent light bulbs. These light sources are extremely efficient, and provide a great deal of light with very little heat. Where incandescent lighting is used, as in the Sanctuary, the light source is metal halide, which is not only long lasting (more than four times as long-lasting as a typical light bulb), but also extremely efficient and provides beautiful, warm light.
Daylight and Views
Almost every room in the building has operable windows to provide access to fresh air, daylight and views to the beautiful surroundings. The Atrium not only has a wall of glass facing the wooded hillside to the west, but also a dramatic central skylight to fill this space with daylight. The Gallery and South Corridor are provided with eight skylights to bring natural light into these spaces. The Sanctuary has two full walls of glass to bring a feeling of connection to the outdoors into the worship space. The east wall of the sanctuary has been provided with a wood screen on its inner surface; this wood screen will block direct sunlight and glare while providing a beautiful glowing backdrop to the ark and Bimah, and will admit a great deal of natural light into the room.
The windows utilize low-E coatings that minimize UV light penetration into the building without reducing the quality of light in the spaces. All of the glazing is insulated to maintain an efficient building envelope and reduce heating and cooling costs. Additionally, the quantity of glass will reduce the need for electric lighting during the daytime.
Flexible Space Design
Our new Temple Beth Elohim building was designed to make the most of the space available by providing numerous flexible spaces that will be able to accommodate the changing needs of the congregation as time progresses, as well as providing flexibility now for special programs and different learning methods.
The Sanctuary was designed to comfortable seat 425 people for services, while maintaining a sense of intimacy for smaller groups. The Community Gathering Rooms can be used individually or simultaneously, thanks to a sound-blocking operable partition between the two spaces. On the High Holy Days, these three rooms can be combined to seat over 1100 people for services.
In the education areas, two nursery school rooms, four classrooms and the multipurpose room have been provided with sound-blocking operable partitions so that the spaces can be used open or closed to accommodate numerous different activities and numbers of students.
