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Marlborough, MA – Atlantic Restoration has completed a $ 4.3 million fullperimeter façade restoration and roof replacement at Academy Knoll, an occupied multi-story residential building in Marlborough. As prime contractor, the Chelmsford-based firm self-performed the work and finished the 24-month program on time, with residents in place throughout. Thornton Tomasetti provided engineering oversight.

The masonry scope reached every elevation: granite coping repair, replacement and resetting at the parapets; full-unit cast stone replacement and cementitious spall repair; 100 % stone repointing; lintel, cornice and sill repair; brick repointing and unit replacement; new through-wall flashing; and parapet reconstruction. The team also rebuilt the wood balustrade, cleaned the masonry and installed new windows.

Academy Knoll is one of four recent Atlantic projects, each self-performed on an occupied property in partnership with the project engineer.

In Cambridge, Atlantic is roughly 95 % through a multi-phase, $ 2.67 million

Academy Knoll in Marlborough / Photo courtesy of Atlantic Restoration envelope restoration of The Birches, a landmark residential condominium on Brattle Street. The work includes HELIFIX stainless-steel re-anchoring that ties the existing limestone veneer back to its back-up structure, replacement of 16 steel lintels with new through-wall flashing, and lead T-caps at the watertable joints. The scope also covers the removal, storage and reinstallation of the building’ s original precast“ Birches” sign and decorative parapet caps, along with full repointing, brick replacement, restored and repainted wood window trim, and refinished wrought-iron balconies. Simpson Gumpertz & Heger is the engineer of record.

At 17-25 Piedmont Street in Boston’ s Bay Village, Atlantic completed a brick masonry and waterproofing restoration. When metal panel details threatened future leaks, the team re-engineered the panel J-channel attachment to eliminate unsealed fastener penetrations. Crews also protected the bay windows against intrusion and coordinated new flashing, scuppers, railings, planters and custom mahogany entry doors, with

Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center recently announced the participants of the first MASS Timber Assembly cohort, a year-long program that helps advance construction projects using mass timber— large, engineered wood panels, beams, and columns that can replace energy-intensive concrete and steel in buildings. Each of the eight selected project teams will receive $ 40,000 in funding, hands-on technical assistance, project-specific analysis of costs and schedules, and opportunities to learn from other teams pursuing mass timber projects across the state.

“ Choosing what we build with matters, and mass timber allows us to make greater use of a material that grows right here in Massachusetts,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper.

“ Mass timber is no longer just an emerging material. It’ s a real option for building projects in Massachusetts, but teams still need support to navigate the early decisions that can determine whether a project moves forward,” said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Ben Downing.“ MASS Timber Assembly gives building teams the funding, expertise, and industry connections to test what works in the real world and share those lessons with the broader building community.”

Buildings are major sources of both operational and embodied carbon, accounting for about 40 % of global greenhouse gas pollution. With building floor area projected to double globally by 2060, addressing embodied carbon is increasingly urgent.

In addition to faster construction, more predictable costs, and healthier indoor environments, mass timber can store carbon for the life of the building. MASS Timber Assembly is designed to help teams work through challenges like cost, material sourcing, design, and construction while generating practical information that can help other Massachusetts projects consider mass timber.

The following projects were selected to participate in MASS Timber Assembly:

• 1826-1840 Mass Avenue( Cambridge): two new transit-oriented, affordable housing apartment buildings, a 12-story tower and a 6-story building, both to be evaluated for mass timber.

• Bunker Hill Housing Redevelopment, Building D( Charlestown): a Passive House building using prefabricated

load-bearing exterior wall panels and cross-laminated timber floors.

• College of the Holy Cross( Worcester): a new residence hall that seeks to use cross-laminated timber, including salvaged lumber from a former local mill.

• Dighton Elementary School( Dighton): a new K-4 elementary school that will explore whether cross-laminated timber can serve as a replicable model for public school construction.

• MassDOT D5 Administration Building( Taunton): a new zero-net-energy administration building that is intended to be a model for future state facilities and plans to evaluate full mass timber or hybrid systems.

• Milford High School( Milford): a new high school with plans to evaluate residents in place.

On Cape Cod, Atlantic carried out masonry wall repairs at Buildings 3 and 4 of The Belmont condominium community in West Harwich. The work combined brick repair, new brick flashing and waterproofing to stop water intrusion at its source on a coastal site exposed to wind-driven rain.

Atlantic specializes in the building envelope: roofs, walls, windows, balconies and waterproofing systems. The firm works with condominium associations, property managers, building owners, educational institutions and engineering firms throughout Greater Boston and New England, on work ranging from routine maintenance to full envelope reconstruction. Each engagement begins with an on-site assessment, often including water testing, probing and coordination with design professionals.

“ Clients hire us to solve real problems, including exterior improvements, leaks, deterioration, and structural concerns that affect building performance and longevity,” said Ted Fernald, president of Atlantic Restoration.

incorporating mass timber in its design.

• Salem Highlands( Salem): an affordable housing development that is pursuing Passive House certification and plans to evaluate cross-laminated floor systems.

• Salem High School( Salem): a new zero-net-energy high school in Salem that is designed with dowel-laminated timber for the gymnasium, cafeteria, and wellness spaces. The program will culminate in a public showcase and a collection of case studies documenting the participating projects and lessons learned. MassCEC expects the work to build Massachusettsbased expertise and expand mass timber use throughout the state.

“ The emissions associated with building materials are an underdiscussed part of the climate problem in Massachusetts and around the world,” said state Sen. Cindy Creem, D-Newton, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming.“ I’ m thrilled to see that MassCEC is advancing that work by increasing public and industry awareness about low-carbon options like mass timber.”

“ Mass timber is a smart, sustainable way to build, and it keeps dollars and jobs here at home,” said state Rep. Richard Haggerty, D-Woburn, chair of the Joint Committee on Housing.

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