Markham Stouffville Hospital Earns LEED Silver Certification

Markham Stouffville Hospital has achieved another significant milestone in its path to environmental sustainability, earning LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certification for its recent 385,000 square-foot expansion project.
The first hospital in Ontario to build a central utility plant that supplies thermal energy, electricity and emergency power through Markham District Energy, the project was evaluated according to LEED Canada New Construction standards, earning 35 points.

Highlights include:

• a predicted 37% less energy use due to the implementation of energy efficient technologies such as automatic lighting controls, and efficient heating and cooling equipment
• a building envelope designed to increase thermal resistance
• white roof membrane and green roof areas reflect heat, rather than absorbing it
• exterior lighting designed to minimize light pollution onto neighbouring properties and reduce impact on the night sky
• 16% of materials utilizing recycled content; 31% of material was manufactured and harvested within 800 km of the project, or within 2,400km if shipped by rail or water
• more than 90% of construction waste diverted from landfill due to the recycling of project waste materials including concrete, metal, wood and drywall
• installation of low-flow fixtures to reduce water use by 40%

Earlier this year, MSH received the 2014 Green Hospital Award from the Ontario Hospital Association for demonstrating commitment to environmental sustainability and reducing environmental impact, and was named Redevelopment Project of the Year by the Professional Engineers of Ontario (York Chapter).