environmentally friendly kiddos

the tower in this photo is not only to identify the hospital but has the traditional nuns hat at the top to reflect the origins of the seton hospital network

So, as you designers know, the buzz word these days in the architectural world is LEED. This is an accredidation process that building projects go through to create an environmentally friendly facility during construction and throughout the building's life. Although I have left the "professional" world of design, I have found myself working in the first (and only) platinum LEED certified hospital in the world. My orientation instructor yesterday totally butchered the description of what LEED is, but I held my tongue. She got the basic concept accross I guess. And, for a hospital, I think it's pretty design friendly as well. It is built on the site of the old airport just off I-35. I can still see the old towers in the field when I leave the hospital. I snapped a couple of crude photos as you can see, but if you're interested, they have a virtual tour on their site that is far better!. http://www.dellchildrens.net/index.asp (click 'take virtual tour' on the left hand column)