A Greener Campus

Our Quest for LEED Certification: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

From the selection and care of the landscaping on campus, to creating the safest indoor air quality for the tiniest of patients, special measures were taken to apply for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Designing a new building from the ground up gave us the opportunity to create a sustainable, healthy building. Here are some of our favorite green features.

The building is enveloped in highly insulated walls, with a solar reflective roof and low-emissivity glass to reduce energy use, and low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were used in paints, coatings, sealants and composite wood products to help create purer air and better health.

The land the Pavilion was built on was formerly home to the Germantown Baptist Church Seminary. 90 percent of the demolition was recycled - crushed and repurposed into road pavement materials in the region.

The landscaping incorporates drought resistant planting and “hydro-zoning” of plants, which groups vegetation with similar water requirements together to save water. Low volume and pressure regulated drip irrigation is also employed.

Sustainable bamboo was used in lieu of typical hardwoods throughout the building. Capable of reaching maturity in less than five years, bamboo can be harvested many times over, whereas other hardwoods such as maple or oak can take 30 – 100 years to harvest.

Bike racks, shower facilities and changing rooms have been installed to encourage bike commuting. In addition, preferred parking is available for fuel efficient vehicles in the garage.

The brick on the building is a slightly different shade then what was originally planned for the building. We made this change so that we could source the brick from Jackson, MS, keeping in line with getting nearly all of the building materials from within a 500-mile radius to cut down on fuel and transportation costs.

Learn more about our sustainability efforts and ways we are making Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare a Greener Health System.