High Staff Retention at First LEED Platinum Hospital

The first hospital to achieve Platinum certification in LEED for New Construction, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, succeeds both in meeting high environmental standards and in creating an environment conducive to healing. The hospital also seems to have realized measurable benefits in attracting and retaining personnel.

Built on the 722-acre (300 ha) site of the former Austin municipal airport, the hospital (along with other buildings on the redeveloped site) is served by a gas-fired cogeneration plant, which lead architect Joseph Kuspan, AIA, of Karlsberger in Columbia, Ohio, says was crucial to gaining LEED Platinum certification. Multiple small air-handlers are distributed around the building instead of one massive unit, allowing “right-sizing” of the equipment and reducing the demand on fans; drawing fresh air from relatively cool courtyards reduces cooling loads.