Stamford Health recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Healthcare Certification for its 650,000-square-foot Stamford Hospital on the Bennett Medical Center campus, completed in 2016.

Stamford Health is one of only 86 projects in the world to be certified under the LEED healthcare system rating and is the largest LEED for healthcare certified project in the nation.  The LEED healthcare certification is difficult to achieve for any facility, especially for a hospital such as Stamford Health that operates 24/7 to deliver patient-centered care to the community.  

LEED is the most widely-used green building rating system in the world. LEED provides a framework to create healthy, highly-efficient and cost-saving green buildings, and LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement. Stamford Health’s hospital on the Bennett Medical Center Campus is the first in the state to be recognized for LEED healthcare.

 “It was our team’s mindset from the beginning to incorporate LEED into the design of the hospital, dating to when the planning stages began. We are extremely proud of our hospital and the positive impact it has on the community,” said Kathleen Silard, President and CEO, Stamford Health.  “Our eco-conscious, LEED healthcare facility elevates our Planetree philosophy of providing a healing environment and helps support the person-centered care we provide each day.” 

 Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED certification can be applied to all building types. A committee of healthcare professionals developed the LEED language for healthcare projects.

 In the project for Stamford Health, Michael Smeriglio, Executive Director, Facilities Management, Stamford Health, said the hospital focused on several areas, including air flow, energy consumption and air quality. “We have tremendous respect for LEED’s guidance, experience and expertise and made certain to incorporate technologies into the design of the hospital. We also paid careful attention to the impact that the new technologies would have on staff, patients, visitors and members of the community,’’ Smeriglio said.

During the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital, the following LEED elements were achieved:

·         About 85 percent of construction debris was recycled.  

·         Green spaces were maximized, including gardens, courtyards and paths to promote healing and provide patient and family respite. 

·         A green roofing system was implemented.  Areas that include plants provide a heat island effect, sending less heat into the atmosphere.

·         Sustainably sourced materials and products were used from the region, such as certified wood, walls, ceiling, flooring and other components.

·         Low-emitting materials, such as environmentally friendly carpets and no noxious flooring material, were selected.   

The Facilities Management team worked together with the architect, engineer and construction manager, Skanska, to examine and implement these and other new technologies, such as energy efficient meters and an advanced building management system. 

 For more information, visit StamfordHealth.org.