Industry sources estimate that U.S. healthcare facilities spend approximately $5.3 billion annually for energy costs alone. Hospital administrators planning ahead for a new facility would face considerable escalation of such costs for the foreseeable future. Seeking systematic reductions in energy use by following Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria is one way to effectively combat rising energy costs.
A new, free white paper, LEEDing the Way with Green Design at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, details how Brigham and Women’s Hospital, along with Environmental Health & Engineering (EH&E), were able to balance clinical needs with a sustainable environment, plus achieve a 20-percent energy-consumption reduction, all in accordance with LEED criteria. The white paper is available for free download at www.eheinc.com/bwh_leed.htm.
“EH & E and BWH administrators encountered and overcame challenges, including the necessity for 24/7 operation of intensive-care rooms and operating rooms; the intensive energy consumption demanded throughout the facility by imaging equipment, medical equipment cooling, and conditioned spaces; issues relating to infection control, including specialized protocols for immune-compromised patients; the need for redundant energy supplies; internal demands for improved lighting and air quality; and external community concerns, such as traffic and construction,” says John F. McCarthy, author of the white paper and president at EH&E.
