The world's first LEED Platinum-certified hospital

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas is the first health care facility in the world to achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Platinum level, the highest offered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a press release.

By optimizing energy performance, the Dell Children's Medical Center was able to achieve 14 of the total 17 points available in the Indoor Environmental Quality category, the release stated.

Phil Risner, project manager and building systems network engineer for the Seton Family of Hospitals, said: "We had a vision for LEED Platinum from the outset of this project, as we sought to create the optimum environment for our patients as well as our employees. There was no doubt in our minds that being green had real, positive effects on both the environment and our healthcare delivery capability."

LEED certification standards are difficult to meet for any building, but are especially tough for hospitals because they operate around the clock and use large amounts of energy, the release noted.

Overall, the project earned 54 out of a possible 69 points, meeting requirements for LEED certification for New Construction, the release added.

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