Green Roof: More than a Cover

Green roof at new hospital is more than a cover

Plantings on giant space designed to play role in patients’ recovery, will provide energy efficiency

19 November 2010 - The 11-story Palomar Medical Center West under construction on a hill high above the western edge of Escondido is installing what will be the largest green roof in Southern California.

Planting on the 1.4-acre roof over a two-story wing of the hospital started last week and is expected to be completed by Dec. 17. The roof is above the diagnostic and treatment portion of the hospital, which includes operating rooms, the emergency division and the radiology department, said Wendy Cohen, director of construction for Palomar Pomerado Health.

A green roof — a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered in vegetation — serves more than one purpose for the hospital. It contributes to energy efficiency and follows modern medical beliefs that patients heal faster while in the presence of natural light and a connection to nature. {read rest}