Green Chip Living has covered stories in green architecture and building for awhile now…
The latest in green gyms and health clubs; LEED-Platinum certified monasteries and houses of worship; farmers markets; and now, green health clinics popping up on the West Coast.
Now, thanks to a one million dollar grant sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, a health clinic in a San Diego community could be the first of its kind to earn LEED certification.
The new center has been built from the ground up as environmentally friendly for both residents and the community, and is hoping to earn LEED Gold certification.
California Senators and big wigs in health care, as well as the likes of Michelle Obama, joined Kaiser Permanente and La Maestra for the ribbon cutting ceremony just two weeks ago.
Serving citizens of the City Heights neighborhood in the eastern part of San Deigo since 1990, La Maestra is not only giving patients the medication and diagnosis they need to feel better; it’s also an example of green building in one of the most ethnically diverse and low-income communities in the city.
The site for the new building was considered based on solar power and breeze; the health center’s grounds also include a high-efficiency landscape irrigation system and drought resistant and native plants.
The green features at La Maestra include:
- high performance insulated glass
- recycled materials, energy management system, and materials with low volatile organic compounds
- highest environmentally-friendly standards in lighting, air quality ventilation, waste management, energy-use sources
- furniture and interior decoration from natural materials, manufactured by sustainable companies
- a rooftop solar photovoltaic array expected to generate 15% of the building’s energy needs
La Maestra is running more efficiently while enjoying a much-needed expansion. The 36,
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