"Peninsula Wellness Center, an outpatient facility of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, blends 28,600 SF of traditional medical services with 33,800 SF of fitness, rehabilitation, and wellness programs. This holistic approach to “preventative care”, rather than “curative care” is aimed at helping people within the surrounding area develop and sustain healthy lifestyles.
Some of the sustainable features on the campus are immediately noticeable to visitors. Priority parking spaces give the handicapped, carpools and low-emitting/fuel efficient vehicles preference and a bicycle path connecting more than 20 miles of trails runs directly across the project site. To encourage bicycling, bike racks are avail¬able outside each entry, and a locked indoor bicycle storage room, showers, and changing rooms enable staff to bike to work or exercise midday.
Other features make a quiet statement, acting as a metaphor for the healthcare facility’s focus on creating life-long behavioral change. One such example is the use of 90.2% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood, a certification developed to transform the forest product marketplace in the interest of a sustainable future. Multi-directional Western Red Cedar siding set against vertical channel glass, geometric ceramic tile, and textured stucco bring life to the façade and welcome patrons with energy and movement. In the aerobics/yoga studios, patrons directly interact with the material - even lying upon it at the end of yoga practice. A fitting material to utilize in Marina, California, where the ocean parallels forested ridgelines, the western red cedar helps tie the building into the surrounding landscape. The warm, inviting feel that these materials impart creates a low-stress atmosphere conducive to healing, and softens other building elements.
Situated only a quarter mile from the Pacific Ocean, 100% of stormwater at the site is collected via an underground infiltration system to maintain pre-development levels and protect the nearby public beachfront. Connections to the municipal non-potable water line were also planned so that when it becomes active it can provide irrigation for the climate-appropriate plantings. Inside the building, the dehumidification system that serves the natatorium also provides continuous energy recovery for pool water heating, reducing energy consumption for the building.
Community Hospital ensured that sustainable initiatives were not limited to the bricks and mortar construction project or to the construction period. It carried the sustainable commitment into multiple policies for operation of the building, including green cleaning, integrated pest management, and exterior building maintenance. The project team also worked to extend its influence beyond the project at hand, actively participating in the Pilot Credit program to help advance the LEED rating systems’ development of new credits." (
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