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HFM Daily offers blog coverage by the award-winning HFM editorial team and links to in-depth information on health care design, construction, engineering, environmental services, operations and technology. You can read HFM Daily stories on this page or subscribe to Health Facilities Management This Week for a Friday roundup of the week's posts.
San Diego Medical Center takes cues from design competition
Kaiser Permanente's design team aimed to create personalized patient experiences in a LEED Platinum facility. Read the related article "Kaiser’s San Diego Medical Center takes cues from design competition."
The $850 million, 617,000-square-foot San Diego Medical Center center represents the first time Kaiser Permanente incorporated concepts from the Small Hospital, Big Idea hospital design competition it held, as well as other sustainable measures executed by project designers CO Architects in Los Angeles and contractor Hensel Phelps which helped the medical center to earn LEED Platinum health care certification.
A number of patient rooms have technology that affords bedside control over temperature, lighting and window shades. Caregivers can adjust lights and other conditions from a keypad outside the patient room without disturbing the patient.
Innovative uses of technology and HVAC equipment are projected to reduce energy costs by 28 percent a year.
LED lights are installed throughout the facility and solar panels, strategically placed outside the medical center, generate about 3 percent of the energy used.
Exterior overhangs help to reduce solar gain and cooling load.
Water use is reduced through the installation of low-flow plumbing fixtures in public spaces and low-water use native landscaping.
Two miles of walking paths in the outdoor healing garden offer a peaceful, communal experience for patients, families and nearby residents.