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Prescription for success BY NORMA ROSOWSKI WITH ITS NEW 72-BED ADDITION, DELL CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER OF CENTRAL TEXAS HAS ACHIEVED what no other hospital has: becoming the first to earn LEED Platinum certification twice — first for the original structure completed in 2008 and now being the first in the world to achieve LEED-HC Platinum for its 2013 expansion, the W.H. and Elaine McCarty South Tower. With the recent introduction of LEED-HC, more forwardthinking facility owners like Dell are investigating the feasibility of sustainability. Many owners are concerned the work and materials needed to meet LEED-HC requirements would add unwanted complexity and costs to a project. The generally held belief is that the cost to obtain Platinum status adds 10 percent or more to the project budget. Initial evaluation of the Dell project's overall budget revealed the premium to achieve LEED-HC Platinum certification added surprisingly little to the overall project design-build cost: just 2.3 percent, significantly lower than the popular perception. This includes soft costs such as LEED consultation and U.S. Green Building Council fees, recycling premiums and documen- 34 Medical Construction & Design | November/December 2013 tation costs, as well as the hard costs for sustainable building materials, including a photovoltaic array. In reality, sustainable healthcare facilities cost little more to build and less to operate and maintain than non-sustainable counterparts. Because most healthcare facility owners build the structure and operate it, it makes sense to weigh the design and construction costs against long-term operational costs. Most will find that the extra investment to build a sustainable facility will pay off in a big way over time. Real-world strategies that work Given that the premium to build a LEED-HC Platinum healthcare facility is relatively minor, the next consideration is how to do it. The USGBC is thorough in laying out the intent, requirements and recommended strategies on how to achieve LEED-HC credits but leaves it up to the owner and design and construction teams to select the best course of action. For many owners, this is where it gets confusing and even intimidating. It's also where proven strategies gained from real-world projects are exceedingly useful. These strategies include: > Integrated Project Delivery IPD is an integral part of LEED-HC certification. Getting the entire team collaborating on ideas early and often is critical to the project's success, particularly when dealing with a brand new rating system and a lofty Platinum goal. Cost and www.mcdmag.com PHOTOS: THOMAS MCCONNELL Practical, cost-effective strategies for achieving LEED-HC certification