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Hospital First

Johnson Controls teams with Parrish Medical Center to build a LEED-certified healing center

Many elements play critical roles in a patient’s recovery from illness or injury.
That’s just one reason the work Johnson Controls is doing at a Florida medical center is so significant and far-reaching.
Parrish Medical Center recently collaborated with Johnson Controls to use green design in the construction of its new Port St. John Health Center. The center is slated to be the nation’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)® certified outpatient facility. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance, environmentally sound buildings that benefit the occupants as well as the environment.

Specific Requirements
To receive LEED certification, facilities must meet criteria in a number of broad categories, including site development, water conservation, energy and atmosphere.
The overall process involved a collaborative approach, with Johnson Controls serving as the LEED-accredited professional for the project. In addition to other features, the project incorporated six significant elements of a supportive, healing environment:
Nature. Overall site development and design emphasize the natural beauty of the health center’s surroundings. In particular, the existing ecology was respected by incorporating the vegetation into the design.
Color and lighting. Bright finishes and sophisticated lighting contribute to the healing environment.
A healthy interior. Interior building materials use recycled content that is easy to maintain.
Safety. A state-of-the-art security system protects patients. Additionally, the center is built to withstand 130-mph winds.
Comfort. Clear and visible signage makes movement throughout the building easy and pleasant.
A sense of local culture. The center contains colors and textures specific to the local habitat.

Specific to LEED-certified elements, the health center features sustainable site development (for instance, storm water is managed and treated for future use); water conservation (use of native vegetation requires 50 percent less water); energy efficiency with cost-effective lighting systems; and high indoor environmental quality.
The health center’s process for applying for LEED also was cutting-edge. Johnson Controls used Green Compass, a software application that helps speed up certification by helping determine whether LEED benchmarks have been hit.
This groundbreaking collaboration is sure to please Parrish’s patients while creating a broad-reaching healing environment.