GGHC Announces Prescriptive Paths to Energy Points

The Green Guide for Healthcare (GGHC) has announced two new prescriptive paths for achieving energy optimization points in its self-certification program for healthcare facilities (see

EBN

Vol. 14, No. 1). Buildings over 70,000 ft² (6,500 m²) can achieve two points in the energy optimization credit using prescribed measures that include low lighting-power density, high-performance windows, occupancy sensors, central variable-air-volume air handlers, and high-efficiency boilers, among others. Buildings under 70,000 ft² (6,500 m²) can achieve the same two points using the

Core Performance Guide from the New Buildings Institute (see

EBN

Vol. 16, No. 12). Both paths lead to approximately 14% energy savings over the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 standard. LEED for Healthcare, the U.S. Green Building Council’s similar third-party rating system, also incorporates the measure in its draft version (see

EBN

Vol. 17, No. 1). More information is available at www.gghc.org.