Healthcare Going for the Gold in Sustainability
In the past week, I’ve received emails about three healthcare facilities that have achieved a LEED rating:
Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center, San Francisco, designed by Anshen+Allen Architects and Stantec Architecture (LEED Silver).
Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ, designed by WHR Architects (LEED Gold).
Arlington Free Clinic, VA, designed by Perkins+Will (LEED Gold)
I proud to say that two of these organizations — Laguna Honda and Jersey Shore — are members of The Center for Health Design’s Pebble Project research initiative.
It’s good to see that more healthcare organizations are realizing that health outcomes and sustainability are compatible. And that many evidence-based design strategies support designing a facility to meet LEED criteria — including reducing toxins and energy use through materials, air-handling systems, water processing systems, and lighting.
But, the LEED for Healthcare rating system hasn’t been without it’s critics. Gary Cohen, President of Health Care Without Harm(HCWH), wrote a commentary in Modern Healthcare last month criticizing the U.S. Green Buildings Council for removing all language about persistent bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) chemicals (including dioxin and halogenated materials) from LEED for Healthcare credits.
“Without these material credits, LEED for Healthcare falls short of providing guidance and credits to the healthcare sector for reducing toxic materials in healthcare buildings,” he wrote, stating that there remains “fundamental” differences between LEED for Healthcare and the Green Guide for Healthcare that was developed under HCWH’s guidance.
Whatever the shortfalls of LEED, healthcare is moving in the right direction toward a more sustainable future.