The Niagara Health System is pleased to announce that its state-of-the-art St. Catharines Site has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certified status with the Canada Green Building Council.
The 980,805-square-foot complex, which opened at First Street and Fourth Avenue in March 2013, was awarded the LEED Silver standard after earning more than 30 credits in the green building rating system.
“LEED Silver rating is a great achievement and it demonstrates our commitment to not just providing care to our patients, but also caring for the environment and reducing our impact as much as possible,” says Amir Gill, Regional Director of Capital Planning, Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at the NHS. “By using less energy and water, LEED-certified buildings reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a healthier environment for patients, staff and the wider community. This also helps reduce the hospital’s operating costs, which benefits the entire healthcare system.”
In partnership with project sponsor Plenary Group, design-builder PCL Constructors Canada Inc., architects B+H Architects/Silver Thomas Hanley, facilities maintenance provider Johnson Controls and consulting engineer Halsall, the St. Catharines Site development team targeted specific credits for the project to achieve LEED Certified status.
“At PCL, we’re proud to think holistically about building for a sustainable world with an integrated approach that engages our partners, our people, our projects, our communities and our business practices,” says Chris Gower, Executive Vice President at PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto). “Congratulations to our extended Niagara Health System team and partners for over-achieving our targets to attain LEED Silver status for this landmark facility.”
Highlights of the St. Catharines Site include:
- High-performance building exterior, including a white roof that reduces heat island effect, keeping the interior temperature cooler in summer and warmer in winter;
- Optimized energy performance, including efficient lighting design and the extensive use of natural light throughout the building;
- A reduction of water use by more than 20 per cent through the use of water-efficient plumbing fixtures;
- Water-efficient landscaping (potable water use for irrigation has been reduced by more than 50% through the use of high-efficiency irrigation technology and drought tolerant plants);
- 20 per cent of construction materials contain recycled content.
For more information on Niagara Health System’s St. Catharines Site, visit: http://www.niagarahealth.on.ca/site/st-catharines-site
Media contact: Steven Gallagher, Communications Specialist, 905-378-4647, ext. 43879; steven.gallagher@niagarahealth.on.
