Kaiser Permanente declared that its West Los Angeles Medical Center has received ENERGY STAR certification provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
By receiving the certification the building will be placed along with the top 25% of such facilities in the country. The newly opened medical center located over a 17-acre campus has out patient medical facilities, emergency services and a full-fledged hospital. The hospital with a license to have 305 beds also has 13 operating rooms and a modern five-storeyed hospital tower to attend in-patients.
With an idea of conserving energy the building has installed fuel cell and solar power production facilities and constructed in such a way to receive maximum natural light inside the building. The building also incorporated low emission causing paints, carpet and flooring in addition a building landscape that is designed to consume less water.
For the purpose of earning ENERGY STAR rating the building has substituted nearly 3,600 ballasts and light bulbs located all over its parking lots, medical campuses and other medical office buildings to save around 2.7 million kW of electricity every year. The building has installed sun light deflection facilities at its southwest and northwest windows to prevent penetration of sunlight inside the building and to cut down the use of air conditioners the building. The building has cooling and heating systems that matches with the industry set standards.
The equipment and other materials installed and used in the building are ENERGY STAR certified and by availing the power and water incentive programs the medical complex has increased the number of energy saving gadgets within the building. The building will receive a Plaque from ENERGY STAR for achieving the rating.
Source: http://www.kp.org/