(Salt Lake City, Utah) – University of Utah Health Care has been awarded LEED® Gold certification for its South Jordan Health Center. The award was established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
"We are very proud of our LEED certification, says David Entwistle, CEO, University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics. We are committed to providing healthy environments for our patients, employees and the larger community."
The University's South Jordan Health Center achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporation a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified building save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.
"The Green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most-important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The work of innovative building projects such as the South Jordan Health Center is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement."
LEED Gold certification of the South Jordan Health Center was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include the following:
- Locating the facility next to alternative transportation solutions (light rail & bus lines)
- Promoting the use of fuel-efficient vehicles by designating the closest parking stalls for their use
- Using drought-tolerant indigenous landscaping to reduce water needs by 87%
- Installing water-efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water usage by 20%
- Using low VOC-emitting materials for cleaner air
- Using exterior building materials and construction methods designed to reduce heat gain and loss
- Designing for maximum natural light and using highly efficient glass to provide views without extra energy use
- Diverting 75% of the building construction waste to recycling centers instead of landfills
- Using more than 20% of building materials from recycled sources
- Using regional sources for materials whenever possible to support local business and reduce negative environmental impacts due to shipping
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University of Utah Health Care
University of Utah Health Care is the Intermountain West's only academic health care system, dedicated to leading-edge and compassionate medicine, groundbreaking research, and a commitment to train future health care providers in a caring and personal setting. Our health system serves the people of Utah and five surrounding states, with more than 1,100 physicians offering more than 135 medical specialties. University of Utah Health Care includes four hospitals – University of Utah Hospital; the University of Utah Orthopaedic Center; University Neuropsychiatric Institute; and Huntsman Cancer Hospital – 10 community clinics, and numerous specialty centers. We consistently place among the top hospital systems in the country in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey, and have ranked in the top 10 academic medical centers in quality of care for the past three years—including the No. 1 ranking in 2010 in the annual Quality and Accountability Study conducted by the University HealthSystem Consortium.
U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.
With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely
diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.
Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a
national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for thedesign, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.
USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.
For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.