Leading in sustainable building design

Efficient water use, solar energy, and ample access to public transportation — these are just some of the many considerations that go into the planning and construction of a sustainable building. And these energy-efficient practices are very much top of mind at Kaiser Permanente as we work to improve the physical and environmental health of the communities we serve.

We strive for our new major construction projects that house our health care and business operations to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and we’re meeting that goal. In November, the council identified us as the top health care organization in the world for our number of LEED-certified buildings — we have a total of 65. We’re also number one in the U.S. in terms of LEED-certified health care square footage, with 6.9 million square feet.

“This is wonderful recognition of our teams’ dedication to creating state-of-the-art, sustainable facilities while prioritizing our members’ health and well-being,” said Don Orndoff, Kaiser Permanente senior vice president of National Facilities Services.

Notable Kaiser Permanente LEED-certified buildings

Of our 65 LEED-certified buildings, 10 have achieved the highest possible LEED Platinum level. Read more about some of our most distinguished facilities.

• Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center (LEED Double Platinum): The medical center opened in 2017 and in 2019 became the world’s first double LEED Platinum hospital. It achieved LEED certification for its initial construction and for its ongoing operations and maintenance. The hospital was designed with sustainability in mind and uses cutting-edge technologies to produce its own electricity, heat, and cooling; create less greenhouse emissions; and save water.
  
  
• Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Offices (LEED Platinum): This all-electric medical facility was the first net-zero carbon emissions health care building in the U.S. when it opened in 2018. It gets enough power from its parking lot solar installation to generate the vast majority of the site’s energy from renewable resources.
  
  
• Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Medical Offices (LEED Platinum): Recycled content and low-emitting materials were used to build the facility, which also features high-efficiency water, solar, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology. Additionally, the building helps promote interaction with the community — its 2.5-mile walking path, large grassy area, and outdoor exercise equipment is all open to the surrounding community.
  
  
• Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (LEED Gold): Daylight streams into the Pasadena, California, school through specially designed windows that minimize solar heat gain to reduce demand for air conditioning while creating conditions for good mental health. A high-tech control system allows more than 98% of the building’s energy and water use to be monitored for top efficiency.
  
  
• Kaiser Permanente West Oahu Medical Office at Kapolei (LEED GOLD): This is one of 15 Kaiser Permanente facilities certified as LEED in 2021. It includes a solar-plus-storage microgrid that allows the facility to operate solely on renewable energy almost every hour of every day.

“Through its use of LEED, Kaiser Permanente continues to demonstrate its commitment to green buildings and sustainability, putting the health and wellness of its employees and communities at the forefront of its efforts,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of U.S. Green Building Council. “Kaiser Permanente’s LEED certified projects are great examples of how to apply different green building strategies to create productive and healthy environments.”

As the first carbon neutral health care organization in the U.S., Kaiser Permanente has prioritized sustainability for decades. We know one way to improve the health of the more than 68 million people who live in the communities we serve is by improving their environmental conditions. Learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s environmental stewardship.