FORT BENNING, Ga., (April 15, 2015) -- As the newest hospital in the Army inventory, Martin Army Community Hospital anticipates receiving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in approximately three months, according to area engineer Alan Bugg, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District.
Designed and constructed with LEED green building program standards in mind, the 745,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility opened in November 2014 with several environmentally friendly features such as:
•Insulated precast exteriors for reduced heating and cooling requirements.
•Green roof with drought resistant vegetation for temperature control.
•Illuminating windows for increased natural light.
•Daylight sensors, occupancy switches and LED lighting.
•Interior environment free from harsh chemicals.
•Water conserving landscape design and plumbing fixtures.
•Walking trails, gardens and water wall.
According to the USGBC, "to receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification."
MACH is currently on track to be designated as LEED Gold, Bugg said. The honor is reserved for buildings adhering to best-in-class strategies and practices for superior energy performance.
The hospital's $390 million price tag for construction might sound hefty, but Bugg said it is money well spent considering the lifespan of the hospital.
"The cost of building the facility is just a small fraction of the overall cost of operating and maintaining it for the next 50 years," he said. "It makes sense dollar and cents wise to build energy-efficient facilities that cost less money to operate and maintain. That was the goal of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Turner Construction Company when the hospital was built," he said.
Bugg estimates the cost of the new hospital amounts to about 5 percent of the anticipated cost to occupy it over the next half century.
"There's a perception out there that building energy efficient facilities costs more money. If it's any more expensive to build green, the amount is miniscule," Bugg said. "In the lifecycle of the hospital, the energy saving features of the building will pay for themselves many, many times over. Building green and following LEED standards makes sense from a taxpayer standpoint."
In addition to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars, the Army is building green facilities as part of a long tradition of leadership and social responsibility, he said.
"Setting a good example for the nation is what the Army does as one of the most respected institutions in the United States," Bugg said. "Historically, the Army takes leadership in many areas. It's the right thing to do to preserve the environment for our children and grandchildren."
To learn more about the positive impacts of LEED certified buildings, visit www.usgbc.org/leed.
Social Sharing