Green healthcare design's big price tag largely a myth

Despite much data and an increasing number of completed projects that have earned LEED certification, concern over high costs persist, according to an article posted on the Healthcare Design web site. 

When the study “Demystifying First Cost Green Building Premiums in Healthcare” was released five years ago, it showed the capital cost premium for green healthcare design was 2.4 percent. Yet concern over cost premiums persist. An updated study, using a new set of hospital projects, reports that for the 13 sample hospitals greater than 100,000 square feet, the average capital cost green premium was less than 1 percent, while the smaller hospitals reported an average capital cost green premium of 2.1 percent.

“For healthcare, green is still relatively new,” said Gail Vittori, co-director, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems. “Even with the evidence-based data we’re providing, people hold onto this concern. It’s kind of the risk-averse nature of healthcare, perhaps.”

Read the article.