When innovative green design meets a dedication to patients that never ends, amazing things start to happen. In December of 2010, they began happening on every floor.
- 25% of all construction material is made from recycled content.
- Building recycles heat energy to reduce heating costs.
- Patient rooms provide expanses of natural exterior light known to shorten length of stay.
- Landscaping uses 50% less water than traditional designs.
- Advanced construction techniques saved time, waste material and fuel.
The 12-story, 484,000 square-feet Heart and Orthopedic Centers is the largest construction project in the history of Dayton. Miami Valley Hospital is making sure it’s one for the record books by striving to make the addition as “green” as possible.
In April of 2009, Miami Valley Hospital became an Energy Star Partner®, making a fundamental commitment to protect the environment through continuous improvement of our energy performance.
What is LEED?
Adding to the scope of this monumental project is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Miami Valley Hospital is seeking LEED certification for the Heart and Orthopedic Centers, demonstrating the hospital’s focus on creating an environmentally friendly facility.
LEED certification is awarded by the United States Green Building Council, a third-party certification program nationally regarded as the benchmark of “green” buildings. In order to be LEED certified, Miami Valley Hospital has to meet criteria in five key areas:
- Sustainable site development
- Water savings
- Energy efficiency
- Materials selection
- Indoor environmental quality
Points are awarded by the Council in each of these areas. Buildings that earn LEED certification are used nationally as examples of green buildings.
A Healthy Facility
Completed in late 2010, the Heart and Orthopedic Centers provide increased energy conservation and efficiency through the use of high efficiency mechanical and lighting systems. Many of the materials used on the project are comprised of recycled materials, such as the structural steel, aluminum, glass curtain wall, and fabrics and flooring used within the interior of the building. The project also used materials that significantly reduce the quality of indoor contaminants such as sealants, paints, coatings, and carpeting.
Skanska Shook, the construction manager for the project, has been very successful in diverting much of the construction, demolition and land-clearing debris from disposal in landfills and incinerators.
The new Heart and Orthopedic Centers features:
- An abundance of natural light
- Water features and landscaping, both in the green space and throughout the hospital
- Occupancy sensors to turn off lights when they are not being used
- Reflective roofs to prevent heat islands
- Water efficient landscaping
- Heat recovery systems that extract energy from hot air exhaust
- A recycling and energy management program
All of these environmentally friendly features translate into a more welcoming, healing environment for Miami Valley Hospital patients.
For more information on LEED certification, please visit the United States Green Building Council website.
Read the Dayton Business Journal article about the Heart Tower at Miami Valley Hospital.
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