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Miami Lakes Facility "green building" elements
The Institute for Child & Family Health’s planned state of the art facility will be environmentally friendly in both design and construction. In conjunction with world renowned architects Perkins + Will. ICFH will follow the U.S. Green Building Councils “LEED certified” Green Building Rating System ™.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water, savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
Some of the new ICFH facility’s green features include:
The Site:
- Use of native plants on the site to reduce the need for irrigation.
- Installation of a “green” drainable parking lot with minimal asphalt to reduce, impact on the local municipality infrastructure.
- Use of solar powered lighting for site signage to conserve energy.
- Use of reclaimed water and run-off from the roof for irrigation of plants on site.
- Tie into the local public mass transportation system with a specially designated bus stop.
Healing Garden with native plants
Building exterior:
- Reduce heat load on the building by positioning it with limited exposures on the west side of the site
- Use sun shading devices on the building façade to reduce sun and heat.
- Use of high performance solar glass to further reduce the head load on the building.
- Install a “green roof” to reduce water run-off and reflect the sun light.
Sun Shading
Building interior:
- Use a narrow footprint building to allow day lighting to illuminate the interior spaces, thus reducing to reduce the electrical load through out the building.
- Install water-saving plumbing fixtures, such as waterless urinals.
- Use low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and carpets to reduce fumes increasing indoor air quality.
- Incorporate recycled material content in interior finishes and furniture, such as carpet.
- Uses rapidly replenish able organic materials for interior finishes such as use of bamboo for flooring or decorative wall treatments.
- Install energy efficient fluorescent lighting throughout the building, and lighting sensors to turn on and off lights when rooms are occupied.
- Install solar panels to heat hot water and power televisions in both the lobby waiting areas.
- Use “energy star” appliances through out the building.
- Commission the building’s systems after construction to ensure they are operating at optimal efficiency.
Day lighting of interior
The Institute for Child & Family Health is committed to being an environmentally responsible member of the Miami Lakes Community.
