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inpatient and long-term departments. Evidence has shown that patients with windows in their rooms and access to natural light and views have less stress, higher satisfaction and, at times, lower lengths of stay in the hospital. Incorporating windows in patient rooms is not a new design trend, but expanding these windows into a full-scale, large room feature is a new way to please both the patient and the hospital operating budget. High-glazing percentages in hospi- tals (or high percentages of windows to hard walls) increase the amount of passive solar heat available to each space and, as a result, decrease the hospital HVAC load during the peak, daytime hours. Allowing patients to have operable control of Einstein: Halkin Architectural Photography; UCSF: Mark Citret locations also create synergies with improved environmental practices; by building vertically in an urban area versus horizontally in a sub- urban area, greenspace areas will not be disturbed, stormwater runof will be decreased and the city heat island ef ect can be mitigated. 2. Growing interior and exterior design The downside of building in a city location is the loss of opportunity for nature and garden landscaping on a hospital campus. Instead of forcing hospital administration into an institutional, black-and-white design, this has created an opportu- nity for natural and colorful design creativity. Many healthcare facili- ties are incorporating gardens and greenery in indoor public spaces and including walkable, therapeu- tic areas of nature throughout each fl oor. Another area of usable open space is the roof of the hospital, and creating green roofs with native and adaptable vegetation is a way to al- low patient access to nature within a hospital setting. Not only does this allow patients to have a natural, relaxing escape from their some- times emotional visit, it provides a way to decrease potable water use and promote energy conservation. Adaptive and native plants require less landscaping and water than typi- cal vegetation; by using less water, the hospital will see a benefi t in its water and energy operational costs. 3. Room with a view Regardless of the location of the hospital, views of the exterior and access to daylight are paramount for Green news & practices heating and air in their rooms can help mitigate this load as well. Incorporating hospital design fea- tures with synergies between patient satisfaction and hospital sustain- ability means twice the benefi t for fi - nancial investment. Green healthcare trends will become more prevalent as reimbursement dollars are tightened by private insurers and government programs in the near- and long-term future. Bringing the benefi ts of sus- tainable trends to hospital facilities will ensure the high level of ef cient and ef ective healthcare available will continue into the future. Whitney Wardlaw, BSIE, MSHS, MBA, EDAC, LEED Green Associate, is senior operational healthcare planner at Perkins + Will. Einstein Medical Center East Norritown, Pa. CERTIFICATION: LEED-NC Certifi ed HIGHLIGHTS: Irrigation-free vegetation * Energy- ef cient glazing * Ef cient water fi xtures, controls * Low-VOC fi nishes __ All rooms are designed with an expansive view at Einstein Medical Center. Incorporating full-scale, large windows in patient rooms is a new way to please the hospital's patient and operating budget. Mission Bay Hospitals Achieve LEED Certifi cation UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay in California was recently awarded LEED Gold accreditation. The medical center features 4.3 acres of green space, including 1 acre of rooftop gardens. A smart irrigation system that automatically adjusts water output according to weather fl uctuations, and other water conservation innovations, are expected to save 4 million gallons of potable water a year. Designed with non-toxic materials, the hospital complex will use 50 percent less power than the average U.S. hospital. 58 Medical Construction & Design | M A RCH /A PR IL 2015 | MCDM AG.COM