An Award of Merit has been given to architecture firm Hoefer Welker for its innovative and sustainable work on the Saint Luke’s Multispecialty Clinic – Blue Springs, Missouri. Hoefer Welker was awarded the 2019 United States Green Building Council (USGBC) West North Central (WNC) Leadership Awards in the “Innovative Design, New Construction” category for its work on Saint Luke’s.
The LEED Silver-certified clinic, valued at $11.6 million, was purpose-built for specialized and flexible outpatient care such as imaging, labs and pharmacy services. According to Hoefer Welker, the clinic offers a “flexible floor plan” for its examination rooms, in which specialists can rotate their visits with one patient without reconfiguring the room layout.
Of particular importance for Hoefer Welker was ensuring that the Saint Luke’s Multispecialty Clinic – Blue Springs, Missouri, be a model for sustainability, said Ashley Eusey, P.E., LEED AP, GGP, sustainability specialist at Hoefer Welker.
“Sustainability can provide great value to any project,” Eusey said in a statement to HCO News. “The healthcare industry specifically has a history of extensive water and energy use, so reducing use of these two resources can potentially reduce operating costs.”
Such concerns were ameliorated in the design process with a particular focus on improved stormwater management. Furthermore, construction waste was hauled away in part to divert solid waste away from landfills.
“Resilient design, which emphasizes adaptability and flexibility, can also decrease future renovation costs as medical equipment, technology and treatment approaches evolve over time,” added Eusey.
Hoefer Welker’s sustainability measures at Saint Luke’s included incorporating walking trails throughout the grounds as part of an overall employee wellness program. What the firm calls “strategic daylighting” will hopefully help with darkness-related mood shifts that can occur during the colder months, and electric vehicle charging stations are also included on the site as well as part of the push for sustainability.