Geisinger-Gray's Woods facility receives Gold LEED certification

Jan. 20, 2008, STATE COLLEGE, PA. – Geisinger-Gray’s Woods has received the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification for new construction, becoming the only healthcare facility in the state of Pennsylvania to earn the designation and one of seven in the nation.

The two-story, 64,000 square foot multi-specialty clinic opened in August in the Gray’s Woods area of Patton Township. It houses both primary and specialty care and expanded ancillary services, including a state-of-the-art imaging center.

“We are extremely proud of this rating. It reflects our commitment to ensure the well-being of patients, employees and our community,” said Bud Price, associate vice president for regional operations.

Administered by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is a voluntary green building rating system that defines, measures and certifies buildings that are environmentally responsible, economically efficient and healthy. LEED is the nationally accepted standard for certifying high-performance green buildings with a minimal environmental footprint.

The green credo - energy-efficient buildings full of features that stress the natural over the chemical, the recycled over the new and the renewable over the finite - is evident in the new Gray’s Woods facility, according to Geisinger project architect, Patrick Brunner of EwingCole in Philadelphia.

“We pursued the green concept because it was simply the right thing to do,” explained Brunner. “Our goal was to create a building that is efficient, pleasing to both employees and patients and has minimal environmental impact in the community – which I believe we have accomplished as is evidenced by the gold rating.”

Geisinger, a known leader in healthcare and an innovator in healthcare technology, is committed to the green building movement. Its recently opened Center for Health Research in Danville received a silver rating. The new Hospital for Advanced Medicine, due to open in 2010, is also an environmentally friendly green building.

According to Price, utilizing green technology and construction materials added no more than 1-2% to costs, adding that Geisinger stands to recapture those costs in energy savings.
“Studies show that green building have a value beyond energy savings. Organizations are documenting less absenteeism and less time lost to allergies and illnesses aggravated by mold and chemical odors associated with traditional buildings,” Price added.

Green features at Geisinger-Gray’s Woods include:

• non-toxic paint and finishes.
• extensive use of natural daylight to reduce dependency on electric lighting and provide window views for more than 90% of office space.
• lighting control system that dims the lights when there is natural daylight available and turns off lights in unoccupied areas.
• high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, along with building orientation and effective use of windows to make the facility 30% more efficient than industry standards.
• efficient plumbing fixtures that save almost 150,000 gallons of water per year over standard plumbing fixtures.
• locally obtained building materials, with more than 20% coming from within 500 miles of the site.
• rain and wastewater capture.
• recycled materials used in construction (16%), and recycling of construction debris (80%).
• electricity provided from renewable sources.
• storm water runoff control features.
• eco-roof of soil and native plants to slow runoff and curb the "heat island" effect of sunshine beating down on conventional roofs.
• environmentally-friendly furniture with 95% recycled components.
• building “skin” of glazed glass to maximize energy saving and interior light.
• fresh air ventilation, an air filtration system and careful selection of building materials to provide high indoor air quality.
• landscaping that uses native plants, requires no irrigation and reduces the amount of lawn maintenance and run-off from fertilizers.
• a wooded ridge line that exceeds the open space code by 25%.
• bicycle storage, showers and locker rooms for employees who bike to work.

Click for more information about Geisinger Gray's Woods

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