RMH’s efforts to build the first “green” hospital in Virginia have been highlighted in the May issue of Healthcare Design magazine, a national trade publication featuring leading technology and design in the healthcare industry.

RMH’s replacement facility, set to open June 2010, is on track to achieve U.S. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, said Dennis Coffman, director of Facilities Planning and Development.

RMH would be the first hospital in Virginia and one of only a handful in the nation to attain this recognition, which is based on a points rating system.

The article, “Can Hospitals Go Green Without Spending Too Much Green?”, chronicles RMH’s journey to build green without adding cost to the construction project.

“The site for the new RMH hospital and health campus inspired our vision,” Coffman said. “Our vision is to create a beautiful, park-like setting, in harmony with the surrounding area, with facilities designed to bring the best of 21st century health, wellness and medical care to our community. It simply made sense to do the right thing for the environment and the community in the way we approached our mission of healing. But we also didn’t want to do so at the added expense to our community.”

Efforts such as a JMU-RMH collaborative to manage wetlands and a partnership with Rockingham County to use methane gas from the landfill as a power source for the new hospital are a few of the innovations for which RMH will receive LEED points. Additional “green” considerations include use of low VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior materials, energy efficient light and water fixtures and recycling more than 80 percent of all construction waste.

The LEED rating system measures a facility’s adherence to five categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. Four levels of certification—certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum—are awarded according to the number of points accrued. RMH hopes to achieve Silver certification, Coffman said, and will know as the project comes to a close whether RMH will reach this additional level of certification.

“We are excited about the possibility of being the first ‘green’ hospital in Virginia,” Coffman said. “But we made this choice, not for recognition, but because it’s the right thing to do for our community now and for future generations. Being ‘green’ is cost-effective and it ensures we are continuing to be good financial stewards of our community’s resources.”

To read the article, click here or visit www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com.

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