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Clippership Wharf Wins EBC Award for Climate Change Project of the Year

The Clippership Wharf project won an Award for Climate Change Project of the Year from Environmental Business Council New England, Inc. (EBC), announced on September 17th at the virtual awards ceremony. The award recognized the project team’s innovative integration of resiliency features and leading commitment to protecting and enhancing Boston’s urban harbor. Nitsch Engineering provided land surveying and civil engineering services for the project in collaboration with architect The Architectural Team, Inc, landscape architect Halvorson | Tighe & Bond Studio, geotechnical engineer Haley & Aldrich, and the full project team.

Consisting of over four acres of waterfront open space, the project, developed by Lendlease, prioritized approaches that protected the site while limiting environmental impact. Clippership Wharf features the first living shoreline in Boston’s urban harbor. The living shoreline includes wildlife habitats along with spaces for visitors to access and interact with the harbor. The beneficial habitat takes into consideration more than the Clippership Wharf site by creating a growing and lasting protection for East Boston. In addition to the improved interactive shoreline, the project includes a new 1,700 linear foot extension of the Harborwalk and docks, so residents and visitors can fully enjoy the waterfront and views of the Boston skyline.

image of man sitting at the waterfront site of Clippership Wharf in East Boston

Photo (C) Ed Wonsek

Redesigning the coastal site presented several engineering challenges associated with sustainability and resilience concerns related to potential flooding and climate change. The new mixed-use development consists of four buildings including 478 residences and 30,200 square feet of retail and public space, as well as a 300-space underground parking garage. Nitsch Engineering created a natural earthen berm between the sea and the neighborhood by raising each building’s first residential floor nine feet above the 100-year flood plain. We also improved the quality of the stormwater runoff by capturing and recharging smaller storm events utilizing green infrastructure features such as raingardens and a groundwater recharge system. Street improvements were designed in compliance with the City of Boston’s Complete Streets Design Recommendations that incorporate multi-modal and sustainable design.

The high-profile project brings an accessible active space for visitors to Boston’s urban harbor while contributing to the long-term preservation of the waterfront.

About EBC
The Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC) is a nonprofit organization established in 1990 by environmental and energy company executives in support of the environmental industry. The EBC provides programs, activities, information, and networking opportunities to its members to support the progression and collaboration of emerging environmental and energy businesses. The EBC was the first organization in the United States established with the primary mission of developing the environmental industry.