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Daily News Archive New
Green Building Guide For Hospitals Released The Green Guide,
a voluntary self-certifying system, is the product of a two-year, multi-stakeholder
development and review process, convened by the Austin, Texas-based
Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems. Sponsors include the
New York State Energy and Research Development Authority, Merck Family
Fund, and Hospitals for Healthy Environment (H2E), a joint project of
American Hospital Association, American Nurses Association, Health Care
Without Harm and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Green Guides organizational structure has been borrowed by agreement from the U.S. Green Building Councils LEED® rating system, modifying and adding to it to meet the needs and priorities of the health care industry. The Guide, however, is not a LEED® Rating System nor a product of the U.S. Green Building Council. The Green Guide,
in addition to being custom fit for health care facilities, explicitly
addresses the health issues associated with every credit, from site
selection to building materials. For instance, the Green Guide offers
credits for the elimination of persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals
(PBTs), such as mercury and dioxin, from building materials. Other credits
reward energy performance within the rigorous regulatory structure of
healthcare facility operations. For information about the threat of pesticides in hospitals and safe and effective alternatives to toxic chemicals, see Healthy Hospitals: Controlling Pests Without Harmful Pesticides.
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