St. Elizabeth Hospital Develops Third Rooftop Garden

September 3, 2015 2163 Views Connecticut Department of Corrections, CSU, Eastern U.S., federal forests, Fort Collins, Mount Royal University, Regional Medical Center, Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts

APPLETON, Wis. – St. Elizabeth’s Hospital recently installed a green rooftop garden on top of the new Fremont Tower. Installation of the garden began in mid-July. The 235,000-square-foot, five-story tower will be an inpatient facility, which also has a new radiology unit and a restaurant-style cafeteria named The Market. The new, modern facility will replace a 90-year-old hospital wing and will provide a more comfortable place for patients to recover.

The new 6,100-square-foot green rooftop is the third and largest to be installed at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. The first, a 4,125-square-foot green rooftop was installed atop the Heart, Vascular and Lung Center and was LEED Gold certified in 2009. In 2011, a second, 3,000-square-foot rooftop garden was installed on top of the Cancer Center. Any property owner, commercial or otherwise, may want to consider creating a garden or recreational area on their rooftop. Having rubber roofing installed by the likes of Roofer’s Guild can provide a good supporting surface to build atop.

While the rooftop garden has both environmental and aesthetic appeal, it will also boost financial savings for the hospital. The extension of the roof life, energy conservation, enhanced public relations and conservation of the municipal septic systems will help the hospital’s financial stability. The Fremont Tower will also help the hospital save money. The new building was designed with a sustainable approach and includes efficient mechanical systems, the use of passive solar energy, and low-flow faucets, toilets and showers.

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and Affinity Health System hope the new rooftop garden will also provide patients a good environment in which to heal. Affinity Health System has a mission and a vision for green health care and sustainability, and they urge staff to be responsible stewards of natural resources, according to a statement.

Hamill Green Abrahamson, with offices in Milwaukee, designed the rooftop garden. Minneapolis-based Craft Building Services LLC installed the garden. Bachman’s Inc., also based in Minneapolis, custom grew the green roof system as the regional LiveRoof licensee.