Hospitals Getting Healthier Through Green Building Practices

Posted on June 12, 2008
Tag(s): Going Green, Green Building, Hazardous Products / Health Issues | | Email this

Hospital and nursing home patients in Massachusetts are sure to embrace benefiting from natural daylighting and breathing cleaner air, inside the buildings. Environmentally-sensitive (and people-friendly) standards may become the norm for such facilities if the Public Health Council approves a proposal from the Department of Public Health which calls for the expansion or renovation of healthcare facilities to meet higher performance green building standards.

Massachusetts would be the first state in the nation to require such building standards, if approved. However many hospitals have considered the health benefits of green building and have been integrating such technologies into new projects.

Green building practices include the use of:

Natural flooring which doesn’t require re-sealing with chemicals that off-gas VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) or need to be cleaned with harsh solvents that also compromise indoor air quality.
Daylighting techniques to replace some of the expensive artificial lighting
Some green roofs to provide stormwater management; pleasant views for occupants, and habitat for birds, bees and butterflies.
Recycling of construction and demolition debris
Water and energy conservation strategies

The advantage of many of these techniques is that increased efficiencies reduce operating and maintenance costs.

Source: The Boston Globe

For a list of the top 10 green hospitals as of 2006, click here.