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By Brian Merchant
As we saw on Greensburg, the most unlikely buildings are going up green?even the church! But Greensburg isn't the only place that's building with green in mind. A children's hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, has unveiled green plans for a new patient tower?and it?s proof that any building can be green with a the right spirit and a little determination.
Le Bonheur is making the push with its new 12 story, 610,000 square foot building?that's a lot of green minded room?that will be fit for LEED certification when completed. That means it'll get a special government acknowledgement for its eco-friendly outlook.
And how exactly, does a children's hospital go green?
First, all of the patient rooms will be bathed in natural light ? that means no more sterile, flickering hospital lighting! It will also make minimal use of carpets and other extraneous finishes.
Recycled materials will be used extensively, and the project will reduce transportation costs and support local businesses by using only construction materials purchased within a 500 mile radius. Furthermore, they'll be following up on a number of green initiatives like a recycling program (and a goal of recycling 50 percent of construction waste), an erosion control plan, and the use of bubblers for plants instead of spray systems.
