Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, Va., is the commonwealth’s first inpatient healthcare facility to earn LEED Gold. The 630,000-sf facility was designed by Earl Swensson Associates, with commissioning consultant SSRCx, both of Nashville. It has 238 beds in a split-level layout that gives patients, visitors, and staff 360-degree views of the 254-acre site and surrounding Shenandoah Valley. The location plays a significant role in the hospital’s sustainability achievements. Methane gas from a nearby landfill is used to heat parts of the building, and concrete from old barn and farmhouse foundations on the site was recycled and used for gravel during construction. Additional green features include rainwater runoff used to create an on-site lake, biking and running trails, 76% materials recycling, and the use of low-VOC paints, sealants, and flooring throughout the hospital.
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