The new structure will be dedicated exclusively to ambulatory care and to innovative advances in women’s health. Most of the facility’s design was based on the hospital’s ‘A Thousand Voices for Women’s Health’ study, which asked Ontario women from diverse communities as to what they expect from a new hospital.
Women’s College is aspiring to earn the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification for the new structure. The facility will be designed as a fluid and comfortable space for patients offering a more accessible, open and inviting environment. Sustainable elements to be integrated include a number of green spaces such as a rooftop garden and native vegetation throughout the hospital campus.
The new healthcare building will be conceived as an energy-efficient facility by using 25% less energy than a standard hospital, considerably reducing its carbon footprint. A high rate of recycled content will constitute the construction materials that go into the building process. About 75% of construction waste will be diverted from landfills.
The indoors of the hospital is conceived as a fragrance-free space. All paints, sealants, adhesives and similar materials used in the interiors will be low-emitting to minimise exposure to harmful chemicals.
