Understanding Green Building Design and Healthcare Outcomes: Evidence-Based Design Analysis of an Oncology Unit
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 22, Issue 3
Abstract
Evidence-based design (EBD) studies have grown rapidly over the last decade, attempting to link traditional building design to building occupants, with a particular emphasis on healthcare settings. Additionally, there has been an increase in green building design (GBD) for most new construction; however, the effects of GBD on the use phase and occupant health is not well studied. This study captured the impact of both EBD and green building strategies by analyzing different metrics across a 3-year period for the same unit (oncology) spanning the traditional hospital (Unit 2800) space and the new green addition (Unit 5800). Of the six categories analyzed, quality of care, productivity, and utilities all stayed relatively unchanged from Unit 2800 to Unit 5800, with a slight decrease in number of staff needed due to a lower census. Expenses, staff satisfaction, and patient satisfaction saw a general upward trend from Unit 2800 to Unit 5800. As the green building industry continues to grow, quantitative analysis on occupant satisfaction and EBD, such as this study, can inform designers and healthcare providers on the impact of their green design decisions.
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Acknowledgments
The project researchers would like to thank all of the personnel at Magee-Womens Hospital, specifically Andrea Aber, Greg Gibala, Barbara Hildebrand, Michael Kelly, Carly Pasquini, and Katie Smith, for their assistance in gathering and interpreting the data.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 22 • Issue 3 • September 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 27, 2015
Accepted: Mar 4, 2016
Published online: May 5, 2016
Published in print: Sep 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Oct 5, 2016
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