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The campus of the new Harvard Science & Engineering Complex is a showcase for how engineered soils can be used in high performance landscapes.

Behold the new Harvard Science & Engineering Complex (SEC) in Allston, Massachusetts!

This remarkable new facility, certified as LEED Platinum, has been described as “a paragon of building health and sustainability.” It is the largest building certified under the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge.

Designed by Behnisch Architekten, the 544,000 square foot building is sheathed with a stainless-steel screen of 14,000 boomerang-shaped panels creating an appearance that has been compared to a cheese grater. These precisely shaped panels block the radiant effects of sunlight during the warmer months and allow daylight to help heat the interior in the winter.

This project’s commitment to sustainability goes far beyond the facade.

The exterior campus area is a showcase for how engineered soils can be used in a high-performance landscape. Brightview Landscape Development turned to Read Custom Soils for all of the precision blended soils that were specified by the landscape architects, STIMSON, in collaboration with the project’s soil scientists at Pine & Swallow.  Over three years of construction, Read delivered 11 different types of specialty soil, totaling over 28,000 cubic yards of material, to build this remarkable landscape.

Stormwater is handled in a variety of ways: Large green roof areas on the building terraces collect and use rainfall to support vegetation. Rainwater captured on other parts of the building’s roof and on the ground is directed to various bioretention basins designed into the landscape. Some of the stormwater that has been treated and filtered through these bioretention soils is stored in three 75,000-gallon tanks in the basement, then recycled for irrigation and toilet flushing.

The landscape has several bioretention basins that collect stormwater and detain for a few days after a storm event. The system was designed in anticipation of a 100-year storm. 760,000 gallons of water can be retained within this landscape from a 100-year storm event.

Berms and plantings, integrated throughout the landscape, help to mitigate storm surge risks while minimizing water waste and downstream pollution. Fiber-reinforced soils provide the backbone for a dramatic diamond-shaped turf landform. Stabilized stonedust walkways crisscross the landscape providing ADA accessibility throughout the grounds without adding impervious surface area. 

The exterior campus area is open to the public. It is worth visiting to experience the convergence of beauty and sustainability.

ABOUT READ CUSTOM SOILS

Read Custom Soils is New England’s most experienced precision soil blender. The company operates from a New Hampshire quarry, a Westford blending facility, and a state-of-the-art blending facility in Carver. It is New England’s leading provider of lightweight planting soil for green roof installations, stabilized stonedust for nature paths and pedestrian walkways, bioretention/raingarden soils, a proprietary blend ideally suited for challenging urban tree planting, and specialized soils for athletic fields. RCS also provides materials to more than 400 golf courses throughout New England.