Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water and materials.

Green buildings also have less of an impact on human health and the environment. They are sited, designed, constructed, operated and maintained with the goal of sustaining and caring for the natural environment.

RMH has registered to pursue certification of its green building efforts with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System®.

When considering green building options that appear to cost more than traditional building practices, RMH will remain committed first and foremost to its mission of improving the health of the community.

• Good indoor air quality. Patients, visitors and staff in a green health care facility benefit because green buildings have fewer toxins indoors from paint, flooring, adhesives, furnishings and toxic cleaning supplies.
  
  
• Employee satisfaction. People who work in green buildings are proven to generally be more healthy, productive and satisfied in their work environment. This can mean less staff turnover, uniquely important in the healthcare industry.
  
  
• Energy efficiency. RMH will realize significant long-term operational costs with lower heating, cooling and lighting bills in a green building.
  
  
• Water efficiency. Green buildings use water resources carefully, saving money and helping the community as it plans for water needs for future growth.
  
  
• Wetland preservation. Thoughtful planning for storm water run-off will help to preserve environmentally important wetlands. The RMH site’s wetlands are the headwaters of the Pleasant Run watershed that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay.
  
  
• Land preservation. RMH intends to disturb as little of the site as possible, maintaining the natural beauty of much of the 254-acre agricultural and wooded land. Beyond the perimeter of the building’s edge and parking lots, the site will remain generally untouched. RMH plans to install walking and biking trails to promote community fitness, recreation and alternative transportation routes for staff.
  
  
• Thoughtful waste management. RMH will look at all waste processing (medical, food, recyclables) as part of new facility planning and choose processes that are environmentally sound and will help to save space in our county landfill.