Alternatives Takes Mill To The 21st Century
Project seeks gold-level certification from U.S. Green Building Council
By Taryn Plumb
Special to the Worcester Business Journal
And we do mean redefine.
When completed, its headquarters at the Whitin Mill along the Mumford River will be 100 percent self-sufficient - the result of a combination of on-site hydro and solar power, a series of geothermal wells and roadway technology that will capture the sun rays baking its asphalt parking lots.
Going For Gold
The nonprofit is working toward a gold-level certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.
"We are basically off the grid. We're not reliant on oil plants or coal-burning plants," said Philip Ingersoll-Mahoney, director of administration and finance at Alternatives, which supports more than 550 individuals with developmental and psychological disabilities. "The idea is to have as low an impact on the environment as we possibly can."
Indeed, just about every component of Alternatives' headquarters is somehow green or energy-efficient.
For starters, five geothermal wells ranging from two to three miles deep provide all the buildings' heating and cooling needs, and several photovoltaic panels on the main building's roof generate 9.6 kilowatts of its energy.
Eventually, a gushing hydro plant on the abutting river - it's slated to be installed by the fall - will produce at least another 50 kilowatts of energy. In a few years, photovoltaic panels installed beneath the parking lot could also provide up to 1,100 kilowatt hours of electricity a day six months out of the year.
The site - comprising six buildings stretched out over 24,000 square feet - is also equipped with high-efficiency lighting and motion sensors that turn lights on and off, bright white roofs that deflect heat, below-ground sediment tanks that filter sand and silt from runoff and low-water flow toilets.
Many elements were similarly recycled: ceilings, floors and beams were re-milled and reused and most of the original windows were also restored. Project Architect Jonathan Austin described the endeavor as a literal rebirth of a historically-rich site.
Historical Thread
Built in 1826 by Colonel John Whitin as a blacksmithing forge, it later served as a strumming factory for more than 100 years for the Whitin Spinning Ring Co.
"This is a historical set of buildings that's been recast in new uses," said Austin, founder of Cambridge-based Austin Architects. Considering the propoerty was what he described as "dramatically underutilized" previously, the current reuse is "exciting," he said.
Costing $11 million thus far, the rebuild has been funded by private donations, $2 million in grants and a $4.2 million capital campaign, explained Ingersoll-Mahoney.
And, once completed, the site will do much more than aid Alternatives' developmentally and psychologically disabled clients.
"This mill, once it's up and running, will be an important economic force in the (Blackston) Valley," said Alternatives Executive Director Dennis Rice.
Rice sees Alternatives' future in engaging not only its own community, but the community at large. The new facility will stimulate jobs and tourism and attract historians, environmentalists and art lovers, he asserted.
Austin also noted the nonprofit's larger community role. "This is not just a green project," he said, adding, "Alternatives put its money where its mouth. That's what I find impressive."
Taryn Plumb is a freelance writer based in Worcester.
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