These two complex projects, located in Cambridge, MA, were both gut renovations of historic 1800s wood-frame structures designed to meet the rigorous Passive House standards. The buildings were transformed from office spaces into new graduate student housing, and, in addition to meeting the Passive House standards, are “Core Certified” with Living Future. Inherent to renovating historical buildings, a significant challenge the team faced with both buildings was achieving sustainable performance standards while only being allowed to renovate primarily within the structures, as significant exterior work was limited to preserve as much as possible of the exterior finishes, many of which were original. The team built a new exterior framing and insulation system inside the existing exterior wall to preserve the exterior while meeting PHIUS standards.
These projects received the Preservation Award from the Cambridge Historic Commission for preserving key historic elements.
