MSHA Opens Franklin Woods Hospital

The tours began Friday morning after a vine-cutting ceremony celebrating Franklin Woods’ distinction as the state’s first “green” hospital. The facility meets specifications set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council, and is currently under consideration for silver-level LEED certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

“As you enter the doors of Franklin Woods, it’s easy to see why we call it our green hospital,” said David Nicely, the new facility’s chief executive officer. “We incorporate nature into the design with the addition of five healing gardens, large windows and natural building products such as our cork flooring; we even have a live tree in the middle of the lobby.

“Even out here in the parking lot, we’re working to encourage green behavior with special parking spaces for low-emission vehicles and carpooling spaces.” In accordance with LEED specifications, the hospital was constructed using sustainable materials, and its operations are governed by strict standards of conservation for electricity and water usage. The building’s physical plant, Nicely said, is a “smart-energy system.”