The Miller Inpatient Building at University of Vermont Medical Center, located in Burlington, Vermont, has earned LEED Gold certification. The 162,000-square-foot inpatient bed tower uses 40% less energy than a comparable hospital facility. The design, construction and operations of the facility prioritize environmental sustainability.
Several strategies were implemented by the project team, which included E4H, Whiting-Turner, Neagley & Chase and sustainability consultants Thornton Tomasetti, to attain LEED Gold certification. Highlights are:
- The exterior glazing uses electrochromic glass, which adjusts tint to reduce solar gains improving thermal comfort and providing occupant control
- An active chilled beam system for energy-efficient heating and cooling
- 16% of the architectural and site materials come from a 500-mile radius of the building site
- 18% of architectural and site material was recycled content, such as denim insulation and lightweight concrete
- Over 90% of the wood used on the project is FSC certified
- 95% of the waste generated during construction was recycled
- Low-VOC paints, coatings, ceiling and flooring were used throughout
