Emory University Hospital Tower Earns LEED Award for Healthy, Green Building Design

The Emory University Hospital Tower in Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the first Emory Healthcare building to be LEED certified at Emory.

The $400-million, 450,000-square-foot Emory University Hospital Tower, located across from the hospital, opened for patient care in the summer of 2017. The building meets high standards for air quality, energy efficiency and for using locally sourced materials. Its sustainable, inspirational and collaborative environment promotes healthy lifestyles, learning and community.

Key elements in the design and construction of the Emory University Hospital Tower include the following sustainable features:

• Project site located in close proximity to basic services, such as restaurants, stores and public transit to encourage building occupants to walk instead of drive
• Low-flow indoor water fixtures reduce water consumption by an estimated 20%
• Energy-efficient exterior glazing systems allow for daylight to reach core areas throughout the building
• Materials used contain recycled and regionally manufactured content
• Energy-efficient features  allow for more than 20% energy savings
• Over 95% of construction waste recycled
• Special focus on indoor environmental quality for improving occupant health and well-being of employees
• Lead- and mercury-free facility
• Recycling program implemented

Since the recycling program began at the Emory University Hospital Tower, an average of nearly 30,000 pounds of cardboard and white paper are being recycled each month. The hospital’s environmental services team is responsible for collecting the recyclable material and taking it to a designated bin for pickup.

Emory University has 34 LEED-certified buildings that equal more than 4 million square feet.