John Muir Health’s New Behring Pavilion Earns LEED Gold Certification for Sustainability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                   

July 25, 2024

Source:
John Muir Health:
Ben Drew (925) 947-5387        
ben.drew@johnmuirhealth.com
www.johnmuirhealth.com

(Walnut Creek, CA) – (July 25, 2024) – The Behring Pavilion opened in February to great fanfare as home to the UCSF– John Muir Health Jean and Ken Hofmann Cancer Center in Walnut Creek. In addition to bringing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care coordination together for patients close to home, the new state-of-the-art facility is now being recognized for something new – sustainability.

The Behring Pavilion recently earned the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) from the U.S. Green Building Council. To receive a LEED certification, John Muir Health had to demonstrate its commitment to meeting rigorous sustainability standards for energy efficiency, water conservation and carbon emissions in the Behring Pavilion’s construction and operation.

“We strive to be as sustainable as possible in all our construction projects,” said Michael Monaldo, senior vice president, Facilities Development and Corporate Real Estate at John Muir Health. “Our intentional design choices not only make our buildings more efficient, but they also create a healing environment for our patients.”

Research has shown the positive impact on health outcomes when patients have access to daylight and natural views, which is why it is part of LEED’s rating system and why the Behring Pavilion was specifically designed with features to take advantage of the natural environment. For example, patients on the third floor receiving drug infusion treatments, which can often take hours, are surrounded by large windows allowing access to an abundance of daylight and views of beautiful natural scenery, including nearby Mt. Diablo.

Other LEED and patient-friendly design features include accessible walking paths and respite areas incorporated into the lush landscape and a meditation garden with multiple seating arrangements connected to the building, which allows staff, patients, and visitors opportunities to take a break outdoors and relax. The landscaping incorporates native and drought friendly plants, including plants known for their healing properties, such as echinacea.

Ensuring patient comfort during visits and treatments is critical, especially during hot summer days. To achieve this, the Behring Pavilion became the first medical office building in California to utilize highly efficient evaporative air-cooled chillers that utilize magnetically levitated bearings, which are significantly more energy efficient than conventional air-cooled chillers.

The LEED designation was also awarded, in part, based on the innovative solar panel system on the Pavilion’s roof and in the nearby John Muir Health employee parking lot. Combined, the solar panel systems generate more than one thousand kilowatts of electricity that feeds the facility, offsetting its energy use and contributing to the sustainability approach. The electricity generated is enough to power 250 homes, and any surplus power during off hours of the Behring Pavilion is sent to the John Muir Health, Walnut Creek Medical Center campus’ power distribution system.

The LEED rating is based on a point system, with buildings earning points for meeting certain criteria in categories such as energy efficiency, water conservation, and indoor environmental quality. The Behring Pavilion was awarded LEED Gold status and is believed to be the first health care facility in Contra Cost County to earn the distinction.

“The Behring Pavilion project was a great team effort, from the architect (SmithGroup) to the general contractor (Swinerton), to the sub-contractors, and John Muir Health’s Facilities Development team,” said Monaldo. “We took great pride in constructing a building that would serve the needs of our patients, providers, and staff while also being environmentally friendly.”