The Medical Center of the Rockies (MCR) brought more than state-of-the-art trauma and cardiac care to the residents of three regional areas (northern Colorado, southern Wyoming, and southwestern Nebraska). The 595,000-square-foot, 136-bed facility was a prime example of sustainable design brought to life. The shared vision of two regional health systems-Poudre Valley Health System (PVHS) in Fort Collins, Colorado and Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska-MCR was given Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification in 2009, just two years after it opened.
“MCR is the first hospital to achieve LEED Gold in Colorado. While it is the second such facility in the nation, MCR is the larger and more technically advanced of the two,” says Russ Sedmak, vice-president of Heery International, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta.
The US Green Building Council first developed the LEED Green Building Rating System in 1998 as a means to promote the use of energy-efficient design and construction techniques across the country. Sustainability has since grown beyond a simple catch phrase into a respected and increasingly common element of design and construction, particularly in the healthcare industry.
“MCR's motivation in developing a LEED Gold hospital was two-fold: First and foremost to create a healthy and sustainable healing environment for patients, family and staff; and second, to respond to Colorado's role as a leader in sustainable design and a way of life in this region,” Sedmak says. “In order to achieve this rare accomplishment, the entire team of architects and designers, engineers, contractors and owner, worked together in a coordinated fashion.”
