Fire station panel eliminates shed roof, favors flat apparatus design

Fire Station Building Committee · Meeting of August 13, 2026

Boxborough's Fire Station Building Committee steered designers toward a flat roof over the new firehouse's apparatus bay and dropped a shed-roof entry concept after a two-hour sustainability and design workshop. Thornton Tomasetti's Amanda Garvey and colleague Sunny presented five sustainability focus areas, telling the committee Boxborough cannot access the state's Mass Save efficiency incentive because of its municipal electric provider, though a 30 percent federal Inflation Reduction Act credit for geothermal systems remains available, with an uncertain future in Washington. The building holds at 20,941 square feet.

"We are balancing cost with the best... energy efficient, green... healthy environment we can get," said committee chair Mary. Members approved July 23 minutes as amended, correcting that Steve Kirby attended in person, and were told preliminary construction cost estimates will arrive by August 25, ahead of the panel's August 27 meeting where value engineering needs will be discussed. The committee also confirmed the town has completed its purchase of the 984 Mass Ave. project site.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,655 words

Source: the Fire Station Building Committee meeting of August 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.