Achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for your orthopedic practice is good for the environment, but it will also save the practice money in the long run. Energy efficiency, water consumption and appropriate material use are all important elements in decreasing the practice's construction and operational costs. Slocum Orthopedics in Eugene, Ore., was the first orthopedic practice to earn LEED certification for its new location and reduced its energy costs by 37 percent. Here are seven "green" steps orthopedic practices can take when designing a new building location.
1. Form a "green team." Recruit members of the practice staff to form a "green team" who are responsible for working with practice administrators and outside groups to oversee and coordinate the environmental services for the practice. For instance, the group can make sure recycling services handle the practice's recycling. This group is also responsible for researching eco-friendly options and present their findings to the group. When the research is finished, the group can work as a liaison between practice administration and other staff or community members (construction crew, landscapers, ect.). The group can also collaborate with a "green" consultant to maximize efforts.
2. Examine the LEED checklist and decide what is possible. Once the "green team" is formed, the first step to creating an energy efficient and cost-effective orthopedic practice is to look through the qualifications for LEED certification choose which aspects to focus on. Consider the project's initial budget and location when deciding which elements are possible to implement in the practice, says Whitney Churchill, design manager with The Neenan Company. Originally, Slocum planned to institute geothermal heat pumps, however the building was too close to the Willamette River, so drilling was not possible without concrete support, which cost an additional fee. Instead, Slocum focused on the points they could meet, including an eco lawn system, eco-friendly finish on the inside and diverting waste from landfills.
3. Purchase materials and services locally. As part of the effort to achieve LEED status, the orthopedic practice can utilize local construction services and materials whenever possible, says Ms. Churchill. Keeping the process local invests in the community, builds a positive reputation and could be more cost-effective than outsourcing construction services.
4. Use recycled materials inside the practice. Some of the most common ways buildings can implement recycled material is in the carpet and flooring. Depending on the practice's services, the "green team" should brainstorm to see where else recycled material can be used. Slocum has a physical therapy pool and instead of warming the pool through a separate source of energy, the building is designed to pull excess heat from the conditioning units.
5. Design the building for optimum work efficiency. Before constructing the new location, Slocum owned two buildings and every physician had an office apart from the patient and operating rooms, which meant travel time between one place and another. Several staff members also had office space. In the new facility, Slocum constructed open office plans, which means there is one room where all the cubicles are arranged to face the sunlight from the windows. "They made changes in the way they work in order to make it more equitable for the staff," says Ms. Churchill.
The medical module area was also conceived with a patient-centric mindset, says Miguel Burbano de Lara, vice president of healthcare operations at The Neenan Company. The nurse's work area is located near the physicians to optimize communication.
6. Implement energy efficiency to decrease energy use. One of the ways practices can save the most money is by decreasing the amount of energy used in the facility, says Mr. Burbano. While the practice needs to use a certain amount of power to perform daily functions, measures can be taken to decrease the amount of energy necessary. Slocum uses radio efficient lighting to perform imaging services. The building also monitors temperature control so it does not warm or cool quickly as the temperature changes outside. "It's a big staff adjustment, knowing that the temperature inside isn't going to change," says Ms. Churchill.
In addition to watching the temperature, the building should also install light fixtures with sensors activating one, two or three bulbs depending on the amount of natural light coming through the window. By implementing energy-saving techniques, Slocum went from paying $1.69 per square foot for energy in the old 32,000-square-foot building to paying $1.06 per square foot on the new 80,000-square-foot building for electricity. This represents a 37 percent savings on energy Slocum experienced during the first year.
7. Landscape for decreased water consumption. Implement a landscaping design to allow water to filter naturally as opposed to synthetic piping systems and use high efficiency irrigation systems for water conservation. By constructing an eco-lawn, Slocum was able to create a low-maintenance area that doesn't consume much water. Additionally, the lawn only needs to be mowed a few times each year, which reduces the cost of such services. By implementing these water-saving techniques, Slocum was able to reduce water demand by 30 percent.
Learn more about Neenan's involvement in construction for Slocum Orthopedics.
Read more about new orthopedic facility construction:
- 4 Best Practices for Managing Surgical Equipment in New Facilities
- 6 Best Practices for Implementing an Effective Infection Control Program
1. Form a "green team." Recruit members of the practice staff to form a "green team" who are responsible for working with practice administrators and outside groups to oversee and coordinate the environmental services for the practice. For instance, the group can make sure recycling services handle the practice's recycling. This group is also responsible for researching eco-friendly options and present their findings to the group. When the research is finished, the group can work as a liaison between practice administration and other staff or community members (construction crew, landscapers, ect.). The group can also collaborate with a "green" consultant to maximize efforts.
2. Examine the LEED checklist and decide what is possible. Once the "green team" is formed, the first step to creating an energy efficient and cost-effective orthopedic practice is to look through the qualifications for LEED certification choose which aspects to focus on. Consider the project's initial budget and location when deciding which elements are possible to implement in the practice, says Whitney Churchill, design manager with The Neenan Company. Originally, Slocum planned to institute geothermal heat pumps, however the building was too close to the Willamette River, so drilling was not possible without concrete support, which cost an additional fee. Instead, Slocum focused on the points they could meet, including an eco lawn system, eco-friendly finish on the inside and diverting waste from landfills.
3. Purchase materials and services locally. As part of the effort to achieve LEED status, the orthopedic practice can utilize local construction services and materials whenever possible, says Ms. Churchill. Keeping the process local invests in the community, builds a positive reputation and could be more cost-effective than outsourcing construction services.
4. Use recycled materials inside the practice. Some of the most common ways buildings can implement recycled material is in the carpet and flooring. Depending on the practice's services, the "green team" should brainstorm to see where else recycled material can be used. Slocum has a physical therapy pool and instead of warming the pool through a separate source of energy, the building is designed to pull excess heat from the conditioning units.
5. Design the building for optimum work efficiency. Before constructing the new location, Slocum owned two buildings and every physician had an office apart from the patient and operating rooms, which meant travel time between one place and another. Several staff members also had office space. In the new facility, Slocum constructed open office plans, which means there is one room where all the cubicles are arranged to face the sunlight from the windows. "They made changes in the way they work in order to make it more equitable for the staff," says Ms. Churchill.
The medical module area was also conceived with a patient-centric mindset, says Miguel Burbano de Lara, vice president of healthcare operations at The Neenan Company. The nurse's work area is located near the physicians to optimize communication.
6. Implement energy efficiency to decrease energy use. One of the ways practices can save the most money is by decreasing the amount of energy used in the facility, says Mr. Burbano. While the practice needs to use a certain amount of power to perform daily functions, measures can be taken to decrease the amount of energy necessary. Slocum uses radio efficient lighting to perform imaging services. The building also monitors temperature control so it does not warm or cool quickly as the temperature changes outside. "It's a big staff adjustment, knowing that the temperature inside isn't going to change," says Ms. Churchill.
In addition to watching the temperature, the building should also install light fixtures with sensors activating one, two or three bulbs depending on the amount of natural light coming through the window. By implementing energy-saving techniques, Slocum went from paying $1.69 per square foot for energy in the old 32,000-square-foot building to paying $1.06 per square foot on the new 80,000-square-foot building for electricity. This represents a 37 percent savings on energy Slocum experienced during the first year.
7. Landscape for decreased water consumption. Implement a landscaping design to allow water to filter naturally as opposed to synthetic piping systems and use high efficiency irrigation systems for water conservation. By constructing an eco-lawn, Slocum was able to create a low-maintenance area that doesn't consume much water. Additionally, the lawn only needs to be mowed a few times each year, which reduces the cost of such services. By implementing these water-saving techniques, Slocum was able to reduce water demand by 30 percent.
Learn more about Neenan's involvement in construction for Slocum Orthopedics.
Read more about new orthopedic facility construction:
- 4 Best Practices for Managing Surgical Equipment in New Facilities
- 6 Best Practices for Implementing an Effective Infection Control Program