Hospital earns LEED certification

Jiahui International Hospital, the first foreign-funded tertiary hospital in Shanghai, has become the country's first medical institution to be awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification, according to the United States Green Building Council.

The global award rates establishments based on architecture, environmental friendliness and sustainability. Its rating levels include certified, silver, gold and platinum.

Designed by United States-based NBBJ, Jiahui International Hospital is equipped with features that allow it to reduce water and energy consumption, waste output and emission of greenhouse gases.

"The intuitive design for this facility was driven by scientific data and the users, including doctors, nurses and administrators," said Rudy Widjaja, principal and project director at NBBJ's Shanghai office.

For example, the facility has a unique air-conditioning system that minimizes energy required to cool the interiors while the orientation and clay exteriors allow optimal absorption of heat from the sun. In addition, only mercury-free LED lights are used in the hospital while the metallic conduits are made from materials free of lead, chromium and copper.

In terms of greenery, the hospital's outdoor spaces, which feature greenery, walkways and water features, are easily accessible from most parts of the compound.

"Research shows that being close to nature can help to free people from stress and reduce the time spent in hospitals," said Widjaja.

"It also serves as a wayfinding device that helps to orient patients and their families while they are at the facility."

Innovative concepts have also been introduced to the design of Jiahui to help reduce medical errors and increase flexibility. For example, automatic devices driven by aerodynamic force are used to transfer samples and documents through channels in the wall. It only takes around 52 seconds for items to travel from one section of the hospital to another.

Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, said that this achievement by the hospital would allow the city to attract more advanced medical technology and management service from around the world.

Other healthcare institutes in the world that have been awarded the gold certification include the Massachusetts General Hospital Lunder Building, the Columbia University Medical Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.