McGill University Health Centre’s Glen Site Achieves Second LEED Gold Certification

Jan 17, 2020

McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the McGill Healthcare Infrastructure Group (MHIG) have announced they have obtained a second LEED Gold certification, a first in Quebec. The certification LEED Gold for Existing Building (EB) has been awarded by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) to the new MUHC Glen site, which opened in 2015 in Montreal. In February 2016, the site obtained LEED Gold for New Construction (NC) certification.

“We’re excited to have been a part of the McGill University Health Centre’s LEED Gold certification,” said Stephane Couture, Consumer Business Director at Johnson Controls. “Through the implementation and integration of smart technologies, MUHC Glen site is future-ready and better prepared to deliver improved patient outcomes. Green initiatives like this set the standard for healthcare facility management and pave the way for a more a sustainable future.”

“Environmental sustainability is everybody’s business. We are therefore proud that the Glen site has achieved LEED Gold for Existing Buildings,” stated Dr. Pierre Gfeller, MUHC President and Executive Director. “This certification confirms our commitment to sustainable design, operation and maintenance of buildings, and our teams’ collaborative efforts with partners to identify and implement the best sustainable practices. “

“As a public institution, the MUHC offers a healing environment for both patients and the public,” explains Pierre-Marc Legris, Director of Technical Services of the MUHC. “A LEED certified building means that we have built – and now operate – an efficient structure that offers the healthiest environment to its users with a lesser impact on the natural environment and on resources. Building on this achievement, a newly created Sustainable Development Committee pledges to spearhead impactful initiatives aimed at improving the sustainability of our operations and services for generations to come.”

“The MHIG is proud to have obtained the LEED Gold EB certification,” says Jean-Pierre Dumont, President of MHIG. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of an accomplished team of employees from Johnson Controls Quebec Ltd. and SNC-Lavalin, we have reduced the structure’s environmental footprint by 3,365 tonnes of equivalent CO2 per year, which could be compared to 20 million kilometres driven by a car. We’ve also succeeded in building a hospital complex that ranks among the greenest in North America.”

The MUHC Glen site was built according to the principles of sustainable development and adheres to the most rigorous environmental standards, contributing to energy savings and healthy airflow. Some of the ways in which the facilities at the MUHC Glen site were designed to be as eco-friendly as possible include: 

• –   Implementation of energy-efficient initiatives resulting in less energy consumption than for the average standard Canadian hospital, resulting in savings of approximately $2,5 million per year;
• –   Reduced light pollution as a result of adapted lighting fixtures and an emphasis on natural light;
• –   Low-flow faucets that decrease potable water consumption by at least 40% in relation to comparable buildings;
• –   A bicycle path linked to the City of Montreal’s network and more than 400 parking spaces for cyclists;
• –   Showers for cyclists;
• –   79 charging stations for electric vehicles;
• –   A waste management centre to recycle paper, cardboard, electronic waste, glass and plastic;
• –   Decreased heat island effect thanks in large part to the maintenance of green spaces consisting of trees, perennials and shrubs that do not require any watering, and to the presence of highly reflective materials;

During construction, the following initiatives led to the LEED Gold NC certification:

• –   94% of construction waste and debris were reused and recycled;
• –   27% of construction materials came from local producers (less than 800 km from the site), thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with transporting these materials over long distances;
• –   Strategic procurement of materials consistent with LEED criteria.

Johnson Controls is proud to have worked with the MUHC and the MHIG to achieve this second LEED Gold certification as a part of their initiative to lead the way in responsible environmental stewardship within the healthcare sector.

Source