Cancer Center Plans Expansion
Clinical Cancer Center Articles
"Green" Practices Used in ConstructionMany are working to make the new Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center a “green” building.
Froedtert & Community Health Facilities Planning & Development, along with Mortenson Construction and OWP/P, the architects and planners of the Clinical Cancer Center, are taking many steps to ensure the project is environmentally friendly. One way is was to benchmark against guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
“We have followed and valued the spirit of LEED,” said John Balzer, vice president of Facility Planning & Development. “Following LEED processes gives us the peace of mind that we are doing the right thing environmentally.”
“The LEED approach that Froedtert is taking is kind of behind the scenes,” said Brian Marble, senior superintendent of Mortenson Construction. “The philosophy is definitely there.”
At each monthly project meeting, LEED criteria is evaluated to see if additional measures can be met, or if the possibility for meeting more is present within the project parameters.
“Staying true to the Froedtert mantra – logical not lavish-- we have incorporated as many sustainable features, products, materials and methods as possible without incurring additional project costs,” said Jim Mladucky, principal architect for the Clinical Cancer Center project.
Mladucky cites examples such as using carpet made with high recyclable content; low volatile organic compounds in paint, adhesives and coatings; and materials from local manufacturers. Using local materials, he said, keeps fuel and associated trucking costs down. The design team also selected lighting products and systems that optimize energy performance and minimize pollution.
And how about all the glass on the building’s exterior? Mladucky said these high-performance glass units are argon filled and coated with low-emittance materials, which help cut cooling costs in the summer and heating costs in the winter. “Using glass provides more light inside the facility, also decreasing the need for energy consumption used by electric lighting,” Mladucky said.
These and other design features such as mechanical features and climate zones helped architects exceed American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) energy conservation standards by 3.5 percent.
The construction team also uses green thinking by separating recycling building materials such as aluminum, cardboard, glass, plastic, drywall, wood and concrete. Last year, more than 98 percent of the unused and waste-building materials from the project were recycled.
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