Anticipating new standards and heeding recommendations from environmentally aware organizations, hospitals from California to New England are turning green. Kaiser Permanente’s medical center in Modesto, California has solar panels, permeable pavement, water-conserving toilets and natural rubber floors that don’t need toxic stripping and cleaning compounds. Massachusetts hospitals may soon be required to meet green building standards, but many are already incorporating vegetated roof tops, increased natural lighting and similar non-toxic floors.
Studies show that such changes, specifically increased lighting and outdoor gardens, shorten a patient’s stay, decrease mental and physical stress, and diminish reliance on medication.
Having fewer toxic chemicals in the air, also part of the trend, seems like a good idea as well. The extra cost, by one estimate 2 percent, will likely be made up and more in energy savings and lower staff turnover, with faster and better recoveries as an additional bonus.
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