Senator Edward M. Kennedy Memorial Pavilion

Boston, MA

The Senator Edward M. Knnedy Pavilion is the gateway to the Boston Harbor Islands National Park that includes 34 islands situated within the greater Boston shoreline. The islands are rich in natural and cultural resources. Visitors can explore tide pools, walk through a Civil War era fort, climb a lighthouse hike lush trails and salt marshes, camp under the starts, or relax while fishing, picnicking, or swimming–all within a short ferry ride from Boston’s waterfront.

Located within the Rose Kennedy Greenway on Boston’s waterfront, the Pavilion was conceived as a Net-Zero Energy facility and SDA was retained by design architects Utile to help them in achieving this goal. While the facility has a modest footprint, its energy requirements are sizable due to the electronic signage and site lighting requirements. The project also includes a children’s carousel adjacent to the facility.

SDA helped define the energy budget and the amount of solar electric generation needed to satisfy it and then worked with the architects to field the solar array atop their innovative structural thin-shell-concrete canopy that covers the facility providing shade and shelter for the many visitors. SDA provided full solar design and engineering, complete construction documents, construction period oversight, liaison with utility and code officials, and comprehensive systems commissioning.