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To ensure optimal air quality, the facility was built with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems with HEPA filtration to make sure that the air that patients breathe is 99 percent pollutant-free. The building was also sited intentionally in a location that permits as much sunlight as possible to shine through its windows. It allows residents to absorb vitamin D without even having to leave the building.
Elizabeth Seton's green initiative and design also create more efficient operations. For example, the amount of sunlight the building receives enables the center to reduce electrical consumption and light pollution. In addition, all systems run on very high efficiency, and the center also recycles universal waste such as batteries, light bulbs and electronics waste.
Green practices were also imprinted in the foundation of the building. During the construction of the facility, almost 20 percent of all materials used to build the pediatric center were manufactured within 500 miles of its home in Yonkers. In addition, all of the wood used in the facility was grown in a renewable and managed forest.
The pediatric center’s green accomplishments have been recognized by outside organizations. In 2012, the Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center received a Greenie Award from the Yonkers Green Policy Task Force for meeting green building standards, as well as a certificate of merit from the state Assembly for “working to ensure that the beauty of our environment is preserved, restored and appreciated.”
Additionally, the center has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Certification, a prestigious third-party verification for green buildings. The Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center is the only LEED Gold-certified green pediatric facility in the country.
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