S+H Construction Remodeling New England's First LEED-Certified Hospice

The Chilton House made history in 1991 as Massachusetts’s first residential hospice. Now, almost two decades later, S+H Construction will help it make history once again by renovating and upgrading the building to create New England’s first LEED-certified hospice.
Working in conjunction with Chan Mock Architects, who designed the house, S+H Construction will implement at least 15 different eco-friendly items that will help it meet LEED certification, including an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), solar panels to pre-heat water, zero-emission Icynene foam insulation, and low-flow toilets, showers, and sinks.
At the heart of the project will be the installation of three 450-foot geothermal wells connected to a high-efficiency heating and air conditioning system. Circulating antifreeze will carry heat down to the wells in the summer to cool off the building, and will bring heat up in the winter. In fact the Chilton House will be a 100 percent geothermal-heated building.
The VNA Care Network and Hospice with the help of the Hospice of Cambridge Development Committee has launched a campaign to raise the $1.8 million needed to fund the project.
“Renewable energy systems and green building projects are not a fad,” said S+H Construction Co-President Doug Hanna. “The trend towards environmentally friendly construction materials and building techniques means that there is a distinct line between how we built houses before, and how we will build them in the future. The Chilton House renovation represents that bridge between the old and the new.”
S+H Construction is one of the emerging regional leaders in the industry when it comes to designing and installing renewable energy systems. Now a standard part of construction services, S&H designs and builds two types of solar systems; electrical photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal (hot water) as well as geothermal. They are a proud member of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England and regularly exhibit at trade shows and consortiums to discuss renewable energy options for residential and commercial projects.
When completed in fall 2009, the Chilton House will be greener in five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Not only will meeting these performance standards reduce their operating costs, it will make for a cleaner, greener, and more comfortable hospice for its residents.
The Chilton House, part of the VNA Care Network and Hospice, has brought physical, practical, emotional, and spiritual support to over 2,000 terminally-ill patients and loved ones since 1991. Located at 65 Chilton Street in Cambridge, MA, the Chilton House was the first residential hospice in Massachusetts, and a model for community-based hospice programs. The hospice team consists of a number of dedicated health care professionals including nurses, social workers, trained volunteers, home health aides, and pastoral and bereavement counselors. 
The VNA Care Network and Hospice wants to ensure that the Chilton House continues to bring care and comfort for patients coping with terminal illnesses including cancer, cardiac and pulmonary diseases, Alzheimer’s, and AIDS. The agency with the support of the Hospice of Cambridge Development Committee has embarked on a $1.8 million capital campaign to raise money for the renovations and establish a patient care fund.
For more information about the Chilton House and the VNA Care Network and Hospice, please visit: www.vnacarenetwork.org/services/chilton. The site also contains information on how to give a donation in support of this project.
S+H Construction is a multi-award winning firm recently named “Best Kitchen Remodeling” in the 2008 Boston Home Magazine Awards and “Best General Contractor” in 2007 by Boston Magazine. Specializing in renewable energy, custom home building, residential renovations, historical restorations, landscaping and site work in the Greater Boston area since 1979, S+H Construction is located at 26 New Street in Cambridge, MA.