Sinai Hospital of Baltimore opened a "green" building expansion last week that incorporates recycled content and low volatile organic compounds in building finishes and furnishings, as well as enhanced ergonomics for the patient care staff.
The 467-bed LifeBridge Health facility's new 87,000-square-foot, four-story addition includes an atrium, intensive care unit and intermediate care unit.
Neil Meltzer, Sinai's president and COO, said the hospital wants to be a corporate leader in green development.
"This building expansion is a wonderful example of how hospitals can achieve a high level of patient care and incorporate environmental responsibility," he said.
In addition to the 29-bed ICU and the 36-bed IMC unit, the "green" addition features an 8,000-square-foot atrium with natural light, vegetation and a 40-foot-tall waterfall that is lit with integrated LED lighting.
Meltzer said beds in the new facility are designed to reduce the need for lifting, electrical outlets are raised to decrease the need for bending and stretching, and the rooms have special flooring to support long periods of standing and are laid out with all medical supplies in close proximity.
Each room also has sleeping space for families and computers at every bedside.
Meltzer said the new building boasts the area's first hospital roof garden. This "vegetecture," or vegetated architecture, is a form of building design that uses vegetation as a part of construction. The garden is comprised of a green roof system consisting of low maintenance sedum plants. The plants are expected to mature in two to three years and will require little maintenance from the hospital.
A rooftop helipad will allow for transport of patients to the emergency department, operating rooms and cardiac catheterization labs.
Other green features of the new addition include:
- Fundamental refrigerant management to reduce ozone depletion.
- Thermal comfort design and verification to meet minimum standards for insulation.
- Use of low-emitting materials, adhesives and sealants; paints and coatings; carpet systems; composite wood products; systems furniture and seating. These products reduce the environmental impact of construction.
- Incorporation of high performance energy saver glass and frames at curtain walls and ribbon windows.
- Use of low energy consumption LED lighting.
- Installation of local lighting controls using multiple lighting scenes to reduce energy consumption and provide varying lighting effects for evening, overnight and daytime conditions.