By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN — The St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center is going green — and we're not talking about construction dollars.
"We're given the opportunity with a new building to incorporate green ideas into the design and interior of the building," said Wayne Tennant, vice president of support services at Humility of Mary Health Partners.
The new $83 million facility, the first full-service inpatient hospital to open in the Mahoning Valley in a half-century, is set to open in August.
The site of the new hospital at Market Street and McClurg Road included a wetlands, so HMHP had to work through the Mahoning County Soil and Water Conservation District to comply with wetlands regulations.
"There's a substantial wetlands in the southerly portion of the site that have been preserved," said Darren Crivelli, township zoning inspector.
Don Garver, urban conservationist at the county conservation district, said the hospital also had to create and submit a stormwater pollution prevention plan.
"They did that in the most excellent manner," he said.
Minimizing runoff
The building also was one of the first to fall under Mahoning County's newest stormwater regulations aimed at minimizing stormwater runoff that can lead to flooding.
"We created a large detention pond to control the water runoff as it flows downstream," Tennant said.
Garver said the retention pond also includes a sediment skimmer in place through construction. The device helps ensure that sediment stays at the bottom of the pond and that water flowing out is cleaner.
The building itself was designed to incorporate as much of the natural environment as possible, Tennant said. Windows provide each patient room, offices and hallways with a view to the outside.
"We've incorporated a lot of daylight and that also reduces the need for artificial lighting," the vice president said.
Windows were chosen for their energy efficiency.
While other HMHP facilities integrate some of the ideas, building a hospital from the ground up affords even more opportunity, he said.
"We're providing an environment for patients so they can be more comfortable and relaxed in a typically strange situation," Tennant said.
Efficiency
It also allows the hospital to select materials and equipment with energy efficiency in mind.
A white roof, for example, will reflect heat in the summertime, meaning less reliance on the facility's air conditioners.
In keeping with the energy-efficient theme, some areas of the building that aren't in constant use will be equipped with temperature controls that provide nighttime settings.
Floors made from lower-maintenance materials blanket hospital corridors.
Tennant said the flooring material doesn't require stripping and varnishing as floors in some parts of the main hospital do, thereby limiting waste.
Monday, May 7, 2007
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN — The St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center is going green — and we're not talking about construction dollars.
"We're given the opportunity with a new building to incorporate green ideas into the design and interior of the building," said Wayne Tennant, vice president of support services at Humility of Mary Health Partners.
The new $83 million facility, the first full-service inpatient hospital to open in the Mahoning Valley in a half-century, is set to open in August.
The site of the new hospital at Market Street and McClurg Road included a wetlands, so HMHP had to work through the Mahoning County Soil and Water Conservation District to comply with wetlands regulations.
"There's a substantial wetlands in the southerly portion of the site that have been preserved," said Darren Crivelli, township zoning inspector.
Don Garver, urban conservationist at the county conservation district, said the hospital also had to create and submit a stormwater pollution prevention plan.
"They did that in the most excellent manner," he said.
Minimizing runoff
The building also was one of the first to fall under Mahoning County's newest stormwater regulations aimed at minimizing stormwater runoff that can lead to flooding.
"We created a large detention pond to control the water runoff as it flows downstream," Tennant said.
Garver said the retention pond also includes a sediment skimmer in place through construction. The device helps ensure that sediment stays at the bottom of the pond and that water flowing out is cleaner.
The building itself was designed to incorporate as much of the natural environment as possible, Tennant said. Windows provide each patient room, offices and hallways with a view to the outside.
"We've incorporated a lot of daylight and that also reduces the need for artificial lighting," the vice president said.
Windows were chosen for their energy efficiency.
While other HMHP facilities integrate some of the ideas, building a hospital from the ground up affords even more opportunity, he said.
"We're providing an environment for patients so they can be more comfortable and relaxed in a typically strange situation," Tennant said.
Efficiency
It also allows the hospital to select materials and equipment with energy efficiency in mind.
A white roof, for example, will reflect heat in the summertime, meaning less reliance on the facility's air conditioners.
In keeping with the energy-efficient theme, some areas of the building that aren't in constant use will be equipped with temperature controls that provide nighttime settings.
Floors made from lower-maintenance materials blanket hospital corridors.
Tennant said the flooring material doesn't require stripping and varnishing as floors in some parts of the main hospital do, thereby limiting waste.
Monday, May 7, 2007
The St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center is going green — and we're not talking about construction dollars.
"We're...
