G2O Spa & Salon is as dedicated to the rejuvenation and renewal of its guests as it is to the
rejuvenation and renewal of the environment.
As G2O Founder and President Joyce Hampers has said, “Being mindful of the environment
should be a mandate for all businesses today. Bearing responsibility for our planet is an investment
in our future. When we found we had the opportunity to repurpose two wonderful old
brownstones on Newbury Street to create the new G2O, we knew we had to do it right. Our
builders and designers worked diligently to make this new building the best it can be in terms of
sustainability. And I was delighted to find that our staff immediately provided tremendous support
and input in planning their own work areas, from issues of recycling to power consumption. In
the end, we’ve created a wonderfully efficient facility of which we can be justifiably proud.”
Mindful of this responsibility, G2O has a goal of earning LEED certification. Developed by the
U.S. Green Building Council, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an
internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification
that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve
performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction,
improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their
impacts.
According to U.S. Green Building Council, "LEED certified projects . . . are a physical
demonstration of the values of the organizations that own and occupy them."
In keeping with the USGBC program, the design and construction of the all - new G2O
incorporated the following:
- G2O's exacting geothermal heating and cooling system was designed with maximum efficiency
to utilize groundwater -- from wells drilled 1500 feet deep into the bedrock beneath Newbury
Street -- to heat and cool the facility before being returned to the well below. (This water is, of
course, neither consumed nor used in treatments or cleansing within the facility.) The system uses
no fossil fuel, involves no combustion and therefore eliminates CO2 emissions into the
atmosphere. - Paints, adhesives and glues used in the construction of the facility were specifically selected for
their lack of toxins. - Compact fluorescent and LED lights were selected for their low energy consumption.
- Insulation in the building is closed foam with a high R value.
- Water-efficient landscaping has been designed for the Main Entrance as well as the Roof Terrace
- The building's roof was designed to reduce the "heat island" effect.
- Recycled materials were incorporated into the building.
- During the renovation, waste materials were recycled prior to their removal from the
construction site.
Also integral to LEED program guidelines is the repurposing of an existing classic urban structure.
Avoiding the demolition of an existing site keeps tons of unnecessary debris from being discarded
in landfill depositories.
By converting, renovating and updating an existing urban site (as opposed to erecting a new
structure elsewhere), clientele have access to the location either on foot or via public
transportation, therefore avoiding the additional burning of fossil fuels consumed by private
vehicles.
Already a respected leader in its industry,
G2O is setting an example of environmental responsibility
to earn its place as a valued member of its community.
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