Green Building Service

“Rock Hall” - the nickname for John D. Rockefeller Jr. Hall at Harvard Divinity School (HDS) - looks just like what it is: a spare, elegant building in the Modernist tradition.

But its straight lines, wide windows, and understated functionality nicely conceal what it has become: one of the most energy-efficient buildings at Harvard.

The three kitchens and basement hallways of the Harvard Faculty Club were equipped with four-foot standard 30 Watt T8 lamps and standard efficiency electronic ballasts.

The six solar thermal panels on top of Blackstone North are up and running. Unlike photovoltaic panels which generate electricity, the solar thermal system generates domestic hot water for all of Blackstone, home of University Operations Services. Inside each panel, fluid circulates through tubing and is heated by the sun.

In the private property sector, commercial tenants pay market rent and are responsible for their own utilities. Harvard Real Estate Services (HRES), however, is bound by federal guidelines to set “break-even” rents. HRES rents are equal to costs, which include maintenance, operations, and utilities. Therefore, both HRES and the tenants have a stake in keeping those costs down.

People who drive to the Holyoke Center for work, a doctor’s appointment, or a jaunt in Harvard Square, might take the parking garage for granted. It’s safe, convenient, and always open. And that means its 120 light fixtures burn 24 hours every day of the year.