Shands HealthCare executives had a vision. They set out to build the hospital of tomorrow. Research into modern hospital design cites significant patient and staff benefits that come from a well-lit, inviting, and pleasant space. But Shands executives also wanted to do their part to minimize energy use and minimize the environmental impact of their facility. That meant their focus would be to create a facility that provides better care for patients in a soothing, energy-efficient environment.
When the Shands Cancer Hospital at the University of Florida, Gainesville, opened in November 2009, the 500,000-square-foot, $388 million facility expanded the university's academic medical center. It also expanded the ranks of medical facilities breaking ground in green building trends. Sustainable materials and methods as well as some “outside the box” thinking about the utility systems factored into the successful design.
Shands HealthCare's commitment to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability earned the hospital LEED Gold certification-the first in the Southeast and one of just four nationwide-from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Environmentally sustainable implementations include insulated windows, white reflective rooftops, reclaimed water for irrigation and abundant natural light. More energy-efficient mechanical and electrical equipment and sophisticated controls also contributed. In addition, 96% of materials from the demolition of an existing hotel and parking structure on the site were recycled.
Efficient power supply
A major component of the hospital's LEED qualifications come from an innovative and efficient on-site energy center. The South Energy Center (SEC) is a 4.3-megawatt combined heat and power (CHP) plant that meets all of the hospital's electric, cooling, heating, and medical gas needs.
The energy center maximizes efficiency and reduces emissions by avoiding the 71% energy loss that comes from relying on traditional power generation, transmission, and distribution. The efficiency of on-site power generation combines with the CHP system, which captures hot exhaust from the natural gas-fired turbine and uses it to produce steam that runs the hospital's heating and cooling systems.
