July 16, 2007—McGraw-Hill Construction (MHC) has released a new study focusing on green building and sustainability as they are being incorporated into the healthcare industry’s construction projects.
Released in conjunction with report sponsors Johns Manville, Turner Construction Company, and the US Green Building Council, the Health Care Green Building SmartMarket Report is the seventh report in a comprehensive series, and was based on research conducted in January and February 2007.
McGraw-Hill says that the findings of this report confirm the increasing trend in green building within the $23.7 billion health care market, which is reportedly the fourth largest commercial construction sector behind education, office, and retail construction, respectively.
The findings show that:
- 60% of respondents think green will transform the way healthcare buildings are designed and constructed.
- 19% of study respondents expect their organization will be significantly involved with green building in 2008, more than triple the level for 2007.
- 64% perceive more than 10% energy savings from green buildings.
- Internal management and designers/architects have the most influence on health care organizations going green.
- 66% do not think energy reductions are the only reason to go green.
- 57% see lack of information on green to be the largest obstacle, making it the leading challenge.
- Perception remains that green is costly and doesn’t have ROI benefits despite evidence to the contrary.
The impact of the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) and the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System on the market is also addressed in the report:
- A third of respondents think lack of a specific LEED program for Health Care is an obstacle to increased green building in this sector.
- Of those who have used GGHC, 78% found it valuable, with no respondents finding it of no value.
- Of those expressing an opinion about the value of LEED, 76% thought it was valuable.
For more details or to order the report, visit the McGraw -Hill Construction site.
