“Our primary focus has always been to keep our communities healthy, and from this project’s beginning, we’ve carried through with that mission,” said Phil Robinson, president of LMC, in a statement. Whether it’s by conserving water and energy or by providing the highest quality medical care, our commitment to the community and to our patients is our number one priority. We’ve created a building that offers innovation and design as the cornerstone of sustainability.”

Sustainable achievements of the facility include the conservation of 1.7 million gallons of water annually; 1,000 new trees planted; 70 preferred parking spaces for fuel-efficient and low-emitting vehicles; a 16,000-square-foot vegetated roof that captures and filters storm water runoff; drought tolerant and native landscaping; and approximately 35 percent of energy used in the facility’s Heart Pavilion will be offset by renewable energy credits.

“The certification serves as an example to the health care industry, proving that hospitals and health care facilities can be environmentally friendly while providing high-quality care,” said Marc Heisterkamp, director of Strategic Accounts at USGBC, in a statement. “The leadership of the Main Line Health Board and leadership team during the process of attaining LEED certification on this project was so important to the industry and our mission. Being the largest LEED Silver-certified health care facility on the east coast is a tremendous accomplishment, and I applaud the efforts of all involved in the planning and construction. LEED certification proves that LMC is lowering their environmental impact while providing a healthy and productive environment for employees and patients.”

P. Agnes of Philadelphia constructed the building, and Stantec, headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, managed the project. RTKL Associates, with offices in Baltimore, designed the project. The Sheward Partnership of Philadelphia provided environmental sustainability consulting.

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Mike Anderson, director of business development for ERDMAN, explained, “About a mile from our site is the San Fernando Mission which is one of the early California missions. They wanted this to reflect that sense of community, a sense of healing and a mission style of architecture. That’s why we went with the colonnade, the arches, the red tile, the stucco and that whole mission feel.”

The motif was carried into the interior as well, with bilingual signage, craftsman chairs in the lobby areas and arched, arcade-style ceiling features in the corridors.

Anderson explained that Facey always placed an emphasis on pediatrics, which manifested itself in the pediatric waiting room. It features a friendly nature theme, with tables shaped like four-leaf clovers. The walls feature professionally painted child-friendly murals, as well as framed artwork from local grade school children. The trend of local artwork is carried throughout the interior and exterior of the building.

Employees were also given a calming atmosphere to relax while taking breaks, provided by an outdoor patio area connected to their break room, which features a plant-laden trellis. Karl Lueschow, project engineering manager for ERDMAN, explained this was designed to give employees “a little break from the intensity of the practice of medicine before they go back in.”

Lueschow, who was instrumental in guiding Facey through the LEED certification process, said the medical group was applying for the Silver level of recognition, but came very close to meeting the requirements for Gold as well. The property features brand new parking facilities, including spaces for carpooling and vehicles with high fuel efficiency. The facility also features an abundance of bike racks and shower facilities for employees and patients, which makes it more convenient for them to take public transportation or ride a bike.

The white roof over the majority of the structure was designed to fight heat absorption, but also to limit light pollution, by making sure it won’t reflect inordinate amounts of sunlight at neighboring areas.

Facey went to great lengths to keep any toxic materials or chemicals out of the building. No materials containing high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were included in the building process and none will be allowed inside the building at any time. VOCs are biologically-based chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other long-term problems. The company also hired a green housekeeping company that only uses environmentally friendly products. Finally, the structure was put through a 13-day flush after construction was completed. This consisted of running the air system on full blast for 13 straight days to remove any particulates or chemicals left over from the construction process.

Added Lueschow, “When people walk into the facility on the day it opens it shouldn’t even necessarily have that new building smell to it.”

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The panels will come from the U.S. headquarters of Bonn, Germany-based SolarWorld, located three miles away from the new facility, highlighting the “low-emission transportation benefit of in-market solar production, officials from the SolarWorld said.

The medical center, which is slated for completion in 2013, will be the first hospital completed in the Portland area in nearly 40 years.

The facility will host a 102-kilowatt solar system made up of 468 solar panels installed on its parking garage.

Additional sustainability features at the hospital will include environmentally friendly carpet and paint, non-toxic construction materials, and a water conservation system designed to save two million gallons of water each year.

"We’re proud of all the sustainable design features of the new hospital, which will be the first LEED Gold-certified health care facility in the Portland area," said Andrew McCulloch, president of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan of the Northwest. "We’ve made this a local project whenever possible, and using an industry-leading supplier like SolarWorld, located just down the street, was the obvious choice.”

To ring in the solar installation and “underscore the sustainable virtues of local sourcing,” officials and employees of Solar World and Kaiser Permanente accompanied the solar panel delivery from the SolarWorld factory to the hospital on a morning bike ride.

More than 30 other representatives from both companies, plus employees from the hospital’s general contractor, Andersen Construction, participated in the bike ridem which followed two large-load bike trailers and a SolarWorld electric-powered pick-up truck carrying solar panels.

"Buying locally makes sense economically and environmentally," said Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries Americas. “And whether your customer is three miles away or 3,000 miles across the country, buying from U.S. manufacturers keeps jobs in America and our carbon footprint low."

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