Green Design & Construction
Sustainable Design
The Center for Health Design sets three goals of a healing environment – to reduce stress of building occupants, improve safety and contribute to ecological health. Healing Environments require an integration of a healthy building structure and continuous improvement of sustainable operations within that space. The integrated design team (a prerequisite for both LEED for Health Care and the Green Guide for Health Care) bring together the diversity and variety of expertise necessary to ensure the various perspectives are addressed in creating a healing environment.
Sustainable Design can use rating systems like the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) (a self certifying toolkit for construction and operations) or a third-party certified framework like the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard for Healthcare or for New Construction and Major Renovations. LEED and the GGHC provide the framework to ensure that nothing is forgotten or inadvertently left behind. In addition to gathering points, though, is the need for aspirational goals and big picture thinking, to ensure that the owner has a vision for what they seek.
A few key tools and resources are helpful as healthcare organizations begin to consider green design, construction and renovation projects. Check back soon for updated resources and tools!
Perkins & Will’s Precautionary List
This tool emphasizes the firm's belief that it is appropriate to apply the precautionary principle when selecting and specifying products and materials in light of the lasting impact such materials may have on the users of facilities they design. They believe we need to make selections based upon governmentally published scientific advice and knowledge which, in keeping with the precautionary principle, indicates a relevant adverse finding as it relates to human health or materially negative environmental impact, with the understanding that we live in a world without scientific certainty.
The International Living Building Institute
The ILBI is a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to the creation of a truly sustainable built environment in all countries around the world. Comprised of the leading green building experts, futurists and thought-leaders, they believe that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement of reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world. The Living Building Challenge is a program initially launched by the Cascadia Green Building Council. Living Building Challenge - Architecture 2030, a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization, was established in response to the climate change crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002. 2030’s mission is to rapidly transform the U.S. and global Building Sector from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution to the climate change, energy consumption, and economic crises. Our goal is straightforward: to achieve a dramatic reduction in the climate-change-causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the Building Sector by changing the way buildings and developments are planned, designed and constructed.
Architecture 2030
Architecture 2030 is a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization, was established in response to the climate change crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002. 2030’s mission is to rapidly transform the U.S. and global Building Sector from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution to the climate change, energy consumption, and economic crises.The organization's goal is straightforward: to achieve a dramatic reduction in the climate-change-causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the Building Sector by changing the way buildings and developments are planned, designed and constructed.
