The Greening of Southie

An engaging documentary that offers an exciting glimpse into the future of Earth-friendly construction, The Greening of Southie combines the entertainment value of Extreme Home Makeover with the conservationist philosophy of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. The film is literally a globetrotting affair that focuses on the materials and personnel involved in the design and construction of the Macallen building in South Boston, a notoriously insular working-class neighborhood (immortalized in movies like Good Will Hunting and The Departed) with a reputation for Irish mobs and resistance to change. In the midst of this legendary blue-collar enclave, the Macallen building (completed in 2007 after two years of trial-and-error construction) is an upscale condominium with units selling for more than $2 million. Led by 33-year-old developer Tim Pappas, the Southie construction team initially views the project with both reluctance and incredulity, and the documentary gains a lot of its humor and drama from the contrast between Southie's traditional union workers and the unconventional methods and materials used for the Macallen building's construction. Made by Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis (the stars of the documentary King Corn), the film uses animated charts to tally up the pro-environment points required for “LEED Gold” certification (standing for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), while also illustrating how the innovative use of new and environmentally friendly materials can yield unexpected results—not all of them desirable. Wheatboard cabinets swell with rising humidity; floors made of imported Chinese bamboo begin to buckle and fold; and the building's innovative green-roof nursery plants won't grow properly. Featuring both the full-length 72-minute version and a 46-minute classroom-friendly version (with edited language), this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)