Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) has been awarded LEED® certification to the Gold level, as established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
AAMC is the only acute care facility in the state of Maryland to receive the award and is one of only 183 healthcare sites in the United States to do so.
“As one of the busiest hospitals in the state of Maryland with more than 30,000 inpatient admissions, we’ve had to be innovative and look at all of our practices to see where we could be more environmentally responsible,” said Victoria Bayless, president & CEO, Anne Arundel Medical Center. “Achieving LEED certification to the Gold level is a remarkable accomplishment for an organization such as ours. Unlike other buildings, we don’t have the option of turning the lights off at 5pm. As we strive to be a better partner to our community, this award reflects our vision of Living Healthier Together.”
In April, AAMC opened a new patient tower that was built with environmental sustainability at is core. The building achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. The pavilion includes an expanded emergency room for adults designed to treat some 100,000 patients annually, a new, dedicated pediatric emergency room and pediatric in-patient unit, 50 new private patient rooms, eight new operating rooms and a new 1,600-space garage.
“Building operations are nearly 40% of the solution to the global climate change challenge,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “While climate change is a global problem, innovative organizations like AAMC are addressing it through local solutions.”
LEED certification of AAMC was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include:
- 16,700 square-feet living roof, replacing the traditional asphalt roof.
- 33% savings in water thanks to the low flow fixtures and utilization of native plantings that thrive with little water, thus eliminating the need for irrigation systems.
- 18-20% energy conservation by installing a highly efficient HVAC system, including chillers and chiller plant controls and a dehumidification system.
- 90% energy conservation on lights alone in operating rooms by implementing LED lights.
- 1,750 tons of waste were diverted during construction from the landfill. That’s a 93.3% recycling rate.
- 2,100 lbs. of alkaline batteries and 7,000 lbs. of UPS batteries were collected and recycled in 2010.
- 87% of the steel in AAMC’s beams and columns is pure scrap, recycled by a world-class steel company just a short drive from the eco-friendly parking lot.
By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.
“I congratulate Anne Arundel Medical Center for its commitment to ensuring that its new patient tower meets the LEED standard of sustainability and energy-efficiency,” said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin. “Our future depends on more companies and businesses working towards LEED certification in new structures so we can reduce energy costs and preserve our environment.”
