14 STEPS TO GREENER HOSPITALS

摘要

Think about this: If you were asked to identify the one building type that needed the highest-quality indoor air, the lowest levels of toxic off-gassing, the greatest access to daylight-ing and outdoor views for occupants, the most efficient energy and water usage—in other words, the greenest building—what would you think of first? Hospitals, right? Sure you would. Hospitals should be leading the way in providing patients, their families, doctors, nurses, technicians, and office staff the ultimate sustainable experience. Sick people should have the greenest buildings of all. Sadly, healthcare institutions have been infamously laggard in rallying to the green building cause. Of 2,758 projects registered with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design new construction program (LEED-NC), only 73—a measly 2.6%— are in healthcare, and not all of these are big, acute-care hospitals. Compare that to 1,130 multiuse projects (41%), 569 office buildings (21%), 183 university structures (7%), and 148 K-12 schools (5%) in LEED-NC, and the disparity is readily apparent.