Medical Construction & Design

SEP-OCT 2015

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

Issue link: https://mcdmag.epubxp.com/i/578722

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 66 of 86

Harsh environments are geographic areas impacted by climate extremes — heat, cold, drought, fl ooding and wind. According to the American Meteorological Society, the U.S. experiences "as much or more severe weather than any other country on earth." As the impacts of the overall rise in global temperatures continue to be felt, the number of areas in the U.S. that can be considered a "harsh" environment will continue to grow. Sustainable design is particularly important in harsh environments, because it creates buildings and landscapes that not only work ef ciently with their surroundings but also are resilient in the face of extreme weather. Sustainable landscape design is important to that resiliency because it is the fi rst line of defense against harsh elements. In hot, arid climates, landscape designers can impact the microclimate of a site by using vegetation, water and hardscape to modify surface temperature, protect against wind, control evaporation and refl ect solar radiation. In areas ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DESIGN IN HARSH ENVIRONMENTS BY STEPHEN CARROLL WINDS OF CHANGE 15-20 Percent of waste that is regulated by multiple regulatory agencies, including EPA, OSHA, DOT, The Joint Commission, DEA and others. 7,000 U.S. hospitals generate upwards of 7,000 tons of waste per day. SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES S U S T A I N A B L E S T R A ISSUE FOCUS Photos: Jennifer Cheung 62 Medical Construction & Design | SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2015 | MCDM AG.COM

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Medical Construction & Design - SEP-OCT 2015