Understanding Green Building Design and Healthcare Outcomes: Evidence-Based Design Analysis of an Oncology Unit

Evidence-based design (EBD) studies have grown rapidly over the last decade, attempting to link traditional building design to building occupants, with a particular emphasis on healthcare settings. Additionally, there has been an increase in green building design (GBD) for most new construction; however, the effects of GBD on the use phase and occupant health is not well studied. This study captured the impact of both EBD and green building strategies by analyzing different metrics across a 3-year period for the same unit (oncology) spanning the traditional hospital (Unit 2800) space and the new green addition (Unit 5800). Of the six categories analyzed, quality of care, productivity, and utilities all stayed relatively unchanged from Unit 2800 to Unit 5800, with a slight decrease in number of staff needed due to a lower census. Expenses, staff satisfaction, and patient satisfaction saw a general upward trend from Unit 2800 to Unit 5800. As the green building industry continues to grow, quantitative analysis on occupant satisfaction and EBD, such as this study, can inform designers and healthcare providers on the impact of their green design decisions.