Medical School mends its ways
This is one of a series of occasional stories on the measures that Schools at Harvard are taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Going green at Harvard Medical School (HMS) means implementing sustainability measures in classrooms, offices, and — perhaps most challenging — laboratories. In 2008, Harvard President Drew Faust announced the University’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2016 (from 2006 levels, including growth). In response to this goal, HMS has developed and is implementing a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan. Optimizing the performance of mechanical, electrical, and other systems in buildings, a process called recommissioning, will help the School to reach its greenhouse gas goal. In the Warren Alpert building, the first at HMS to undergo formal recommissioning, laboratories present unique obstacles. “In a normal environment, you can recirculate air and introduce a percentage of fresh, outside air,” said Peter Stroup, director of facilities and maintenance operations at HMS. “In...