Harvard Real Estate Services

Harvard Real Estate Services, in conjunction with Harvard Parking Services, has placed two 10 kW wind turbines atop the Soldiers Field Park Garage. After almost two years in planning stages, the structures were at last erected and set spinning on a bright day in September, 2009.

Harvard University has spent a considerable amount of effort developing its Green Building Guidelines, a set of building design standards for projects over 5 million dollars requiring the use of particular materials and power efficiency levels to ensure that all future construction projects meet certain sustainability benchmarks.

The University banded together during the August heat wave to significantly reduce energy consumption.

The Inn at Harvard has officially been approved as an ENERGY STAR building and is listed on the ENERGY STAR website. The ENERGY STAR label is a nationally recognized standard of excellence in energy performance. It signifies that a building is doing its part to fight global warming by using less energy than its peers.

At HRES we made it convenient for our staff to reduce waste by providing each person with a mug and a drinking glass. Our goal was to cut down on the number of disposable cups used for coffee and water, to both save money and to reduce waste. We purchased 150 mugs and 150 glasses, each of which are branded with the HRES logo, for $1128 in September 2007.

The Problem: peripheral devices, such as desktop computers, monitors, chargers and printers, that are plugged in to typical power strips draw “phantom power,” even when the devices are not in use. In a building with as many tenants as the Holyoke Center tower, this can quickly add up, both in terms of cost and energy usage.

Imagine a flat, black, south-facing roof the size of three football fields. What comes to mind? If you’re in a green mood, the answer is: “solar!”

Here at Harvard, we try to insure that you leave with a good head on your shoulders; what you didn't know is that we’re also making sure you have a good head on your showers while you're here!

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.