The facility, developed by London-based EllisDon Corporation, is the first acute care hospital in Ontario to receive the certification. The complex spans 588,000 square feet featuring a new addition which is attached to the revamped present hospital. It sports healing gardens, large windows offering outside glimpses, fresh tones, task and ambient lighting, earth-tone fabrics, and soothing textures including wood and stone.
The facility imbibes several green features such as a cistern which meets its needs of irrigation water for outdoor landscaping. Use of water-efficient features leads to more than 30% water savings. The building has employed measures to upgrade the quality of its indoor air during construction. It has also made extensive use of fly-ash which decreases the amount of cement required in the building. This has led to a 20% fall in carbon footprint as against regular concrete.
The facility has extracted and produced 26% of its building materials from within 800km of the project site. Further, 96% of its construction debris has been diverted from reaching landfills. The building has also implemented a fragrance-free policy while abiding by Eco-Logo and Green Seal certification norms for cleaning products. It has also installated bicycle racks and shower facilities for the occupants of the building which boosts the green venture.
