First LEED Gold hospital in Quebec

The Canada Green Building Council has certified its first LEED Gold hospital project in Quebec.

McGill University Health Centre, Glen Site.

The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Glen site project in Montreal was completed last year and was built according to sustainable development, and adheres to the most rigorous environmental standards, contributing to energy savings and healthy airflow.

Some of the green building features include:

• Implementation of energy-efficient initiatives resulting in 35% less energy consumption than for the average standard Canadian hospital, resulting in savings of approximately $2 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;
• Bicycle path linked to the City of Montreal’s network and 397 parking spaces for cyclists;
• Showers for cyclists;
• 79 charging stations for electric vehicles;
• Waste management centre to recycle paper, cardboard, electronic waste, glass and plastic;
• Decreased heat island effect thanks in large part to green spaces consisting of 394 trees, 7500 perennials, 3750 shrubs( that do not require any watering), and the white roofing’s highly reflective materials.

The project was built by the McGill Healthcare Infrastructure Group (MHIG), comprising SNC-Lavalin and Innisfree. During construction:

• 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. For example, the 12,500 doors installed are from a supplier located within 30 km of the site;
• Strategic procurement of materials consistent with LEED criteria. For example, it was mandatory that the 25,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel have a minimum of 72% recycled content and that the 238,000 cu m of concrete contain at least 10% recycled materials. Moreover, Forest Stewardship Council certification was required for the wood used to build the hospital complex.

“The McGill Healthcare Infrastructure Group is very proud of the project’s LEED Gold certification and, thanks to the tireless efforts of our accomplished team, we have reduced the structure’s environmental footprint, ” said Denis Crevier, President of MHIG. ”We’ve succeeded in making this project a hospital complex that ranks among the greenest in North America.”

“As a public institution, the MUHC offers a healing environment for both patients and the public”, explains Normand Rinfret, President and Executive Director of the MUHC. “In this respect, building the Glen site served as an excellent opportunity to integrate sustainable development principles into health care planning. This certificate exemplifies our commitment to act as a leader of responsible environmental stewardship within the healthcare sector.”

One of the world’s foremost academic health centres, the MUHC offers exceptional and integrated patient-centric care, research, teaching and technology assessment. Affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University and part of the RUIS-McGill, the MUHC has a mandate to focus on complex care and is highly committed to working with partner organizations to ensure continuum of care in its community. The partner hospitals of the MUHC—the Lachine Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute, the Montreal General Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital and the Montreal Children’s Hospital—value multidisciplinary service throughout the lifespan, innovative technologies and practices, strategic partnerships and leadership in knowledge transfer. The MUHC is currently carrying out a $2.355-billion Redevelopment Project on three sites – the Glen, the Montreal General and Lachine hospitals. The project will support environments that ensure patients and their families receive the best care possible, now and for many generations to come. The sites are also anchored in best sustainable-development practices, including LEED® Gold and BOMA BESt guidelines.