NEWS: Boulder Hospital First Health Care Facility to Earn LEED Certification Source GreenBiz.com

URL: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=26136

MILWAUKEE, Dec. 5, 2003 - Boulder Community Foothills Hospital has become the first hospital in the U.S. to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED certification distinguishes buildings that meet the highest performance standards through environmentally conscious design, energy efficiency, resource conservation and dedication to indoor air quality.

BCFH, which opened in September 2003, is a 60-bed, 200,000-square-foot facility that was constructed to serve the rapidly growing population in Boulder County, Colo. Designed and constructed as a "green" building, the hospital's indoor air quality is cleaner for its occupants and its interior, exterior and surrounding area will have minimal impact on the environment.

"Not only will this hospital be one of the most sustainable medical facilities in the country, but our patients, staff and the community will also benefit from making BCFH a green building. We believe we should do anything we can to improve the health of our community," said Margaret VanCleave, chief operating officer, Boulder Community Foothills Hospital.

The hospital's pursuit of LEED certification began during management planning and played a key role throughout construction, including the site development, building design, and materials selection. In addition, locally harvested and manufactured materials, along with recycled materials, were used in construction. Seventy-five percent of construction waste was recycled.

Johnson Controls, a facility management company, oversaw the selection, purchasing, installation and acceptance of all systems. By working with Johnson Controls, the hospital was able to meet several performance-based requirements and achieve LEED points. For example, the company instituted a building management system to optimize energy efficiency and performance of the building's mechanical and electrical systems. The system also allows remote access of many facility management activities, from turning off lights to starting the air- conditioning, allowing the hospital to be highly efficient with its staff's time and energy use.

"Although hospitals have typically been large consumers of resources such as electricity, fossil fuels and water, this achievement reflects a growing green movement in both new construction and existing facilities in the healthcare market," said Susan Roach, director of healthcare, Johnson Controls.

Johnson Controls is a veteran of the LEED certification process. Its Brengel Technology Center in Milwaukee was one of the first 12 buildings in the world to receive LEED certification after the rating system was established in 2000.