Mark Richey Woodworking | Manufacturing Facility

Newburyport, Massachusetts


Mark Richey Woodworking retro-fitted an existing Owens-Corning facility to upgrade their manufacturing facility and accommodate renewable energy features to reduce overall operational costs.


Meridian provided civil engineering and permitting services to assess the logistics and environmental impact of installing a wind turbine on the Owens-Corning site and developed the site design modifications necessary for the wind turbine and building retrofit design and construction.  We conducted permitting research, secured the necessary permits, and assisted with renewable energy grants to fund the wind turbine construction. We procured the necessary zoning approvals from the City of Newburyport, Federal Aviation Administration, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, and the Newburyport Conservation Commission.


Standing 292 feet from base-to-blade tip, the wind turbine generates up to 600 kilowatts of energy or 60% of the energy needed to power the facility. In its first sixty working days, the turbine produced enough wind energy to power 130 homes for a year. The turbine’s return on investment is estimated to be eight years.