Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) has achieved another significant milestone in its path to environmental sustainability, earning LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certification for its recent 385,000 sq. ft. expansion project.
“We are proud to deliver on our promise of a green building as part of our pledge to provide enhanced care and a state-of-the-art work environment,” says Suman Bahl, vice-president, corporate services and capital development at MSH. “On behalf of the patients we serve, and the staff and medical professionals we employ, I want to extend thanks to all partners involved in supporting us to achieve this milestone for our community.”
The first hospital in Ontario to build a central utility plant that supplies thermal energy, electricity and emergency power through Markham District Energy, the project was evaluated according to LEED Canada New Construction standards, earning 35 points.
“By nature, hospitals require more air exchanges and water than typical buildings, making them more sophisticated to construct sustainably,” said Mike Wieninger, vice-president and district manager for PCL Constructors Inc. (Toronto). “We are extremely proud of our team for securing LEED Silver status to provide Markham Stouffville Hospital with a facility that balances energy efficiency with patient comfort, enabling the hospital to provide care in an environment that is as healthy as possible, for years to come.”
Highlights include:
- White roof membrane and green roof areas reflect heat, rather than absorbing it.
- Exterior lighting designed to minimize light pollution onto neighbouring properties and reduce impact on the night sky.
- 16 per cent of materials utilized recycled content and 31 per cent of material was manufactured and harvested within 800 km of the project, or within 2,400km if shipped by rail or water.
- More than 90 per cent of construction waste diverted from landfill due to the recycling of project waste materials including concrete, metal, wood and drywall.
- Installation of low-flow fixtures to achieve a water use reduction of 40 per cent.
- An energy model predicts 37 per cent less energy due to the implementation of energy efficient technologies such as automatic lighting controls, and efficient heating and cooling equipment.
- Building envelope designed to increase thermal resistance.
- Achieved exemplary performance of water efficiency and regional materials through prioritization of sustainable design and construction materials purchasing.
Delivered under the Government of Ontario’s Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model, PCL partnered with the hospital as build-finance general contractor. PCL also managed renovations to 250,000 sq. ft. of the existing hospital, which was separated into 28 separates phases to avoid disruption to hospital operations.
Earlier this year, MSH received the 2014 Green Hospital Award from the Ontario Hospital Association for demonstrating commitment to environmental sustainability and reducing environmental impact, and was named Redevelopment Project of the Year by the Professional Engineers of Ontario (York Chapter).
