A rendering of the new hospital building and the green roofs

While it will be some time before the new hospital building opens in 2012, we are already seeing some real signs of Rush's vision to become the first "green," full-service hospital in Chicago. New buildings at Rush — the new parking garage, the central energy plant and the Orthopedic Building — all include thoughtful, sustainable landscaping plans with such features as local plants that need less water and special planters that capture rainwater.

This environmentally friendly vision does not stop at the street level. Rush has incorporated green roofs — roofs that are partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil, planted over waterproof material — into the Transformation plans. Two of the four green rooftops planned for the new facilities have already begun to take root. One is on top of the new Orthopedic Building and a second is behind the new central energy plant, on the roof of our new underground loading dock.

A rooftop and a plaza
The green roof on the Orthopedic Building is extensive, with more than 1,360 trays laid out on the north and east sides.

"Rush worked closely with certified landscaping architects to choose the right combination of plants, all with different bloom cycles to vary the view from season to season," says Joe DeVoss, assistant vice president, Office of Transformation.

Looking less like a roof and more like a park, the area above the underground loading dock will feature a pleasant place for employees, patient and visitors and community members, with park benches, grass and numerous small trees and shrubs.

More than just a pretty face
In addition to providing a unique aesthetic for the buildings and campus, these green roofs also will play a crucial ecological role on campus, as well as throughout the city. "Rather than sending rain into storm sewers and eventually to water treatment plants," DeVoss says, "much of the rainwater that falls on these roofs is captured and stored to nourish the plant life that lives there."

Green roofs also provide shade and remove heat from the air, reducing temperatures of the roof surface and the surrounding air. On hot summer days, the surface temperature of a green roof can be cooler than the air temperature. Green roofs also are believed to absorb heat and act as an insulator for buildings, reducing energy needed to provide heating and cooling.

Just the beginning
In addition to the two completed green roofs, the new hospital building plans call for at least two more. One will be located on top of the bed tower, covering the four butterfly-shaped sections. Another one will be planted on the ninth floor and will be open to staff. This second green roof will have benches for employees who want to sit and relax, as well as a circular walking path for employees who would like to get a little exercise during their break.

The new hospital is scheduled to open in 2012 and will feature many green amenities, some readily apparent, such as these green rooftops, and others less apparent. Either way, the new hospital building promises to shine as the sustainable hospital of the future.

For more information about the changes at Rush, visit the Rush Transformation home page.