Going Green to Promote Healing and Reduce Consumption
Palomar Health made an early commitment to incorporating sustainable design solutions to advance healing, safety and satisfaction. Encompassing 21st-century technologies makes the new Palomar Medical Center an interconnected, organic building, according to award-winning design firm CO Architects. .jpg)
Significant evidence-based research has demonstrated the positive healing benefits of promoting stronger connections to nature, and CO Architects developed the following solutions that are expected to reduce energy consumption by approximately 25 percent:
Green Wavy Roof
This innovative feature, which sits atop the second floor, significantly reduces heat reflectance and absorption inside the building, helping to reduce utility consumption. Covered with drought-resistant native vegetation that was planted in 2011, the roof is an integral part of the facility’s storm water management system. It incorporates several large skylights and solar tubes that direct natural light into diagnostic and treatment areas below.
LED Lobby Lighting
Over time, the LED lights will reduce costs by using less electricity and reducing maintenance requirements. A wall panel of vertical LED lights will change colors during the day to reflect the colors of the seasons.
Natural Lighting
Patients will always know what the weather outside is like thanks to expansive windows, skylights, solar tubes and accessible outdoor terraces on every floor. Floor-to-ceiling windows along corridors provide unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains and rolling hills. Each window is embedded with a unique grid designed to reduce heat and reflect glare without interfering with the vista view.
Sustainable Materials
From the infrastructure to finished floor, ceiling and wall coverings, the materials chosen for the new Palomar Medical Center are designed to be durable, easy to maintain, cost-effective and help reduce noise.
