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.

When we build new health care and business facilities, we strive to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. And we’re meeting that goal.

The council has repeatedly identified us as number one health care organization in the U.S. in terms of LEED-certified square footage, with 10.1 million square feet. We have 82 LEED-certified buildings, including hospitals, medical offices, labs, and administrative offices, among others.

“Kaiser Permanente is proud to prioritize sustainability in how we design and build our facilities. We recognize the role we play in improving the health of the communities we serve,” said Nor Jemjemian, senior vice president for the National Shared Services Operation at Kaiser Permanente. “LEED certification is an important recognition of the ways we adhere to the highest standards for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green facilities.”

Notable Kaiser Permanente LEED-certified buildings

Of our 82 LEED-certified buildings, 13 have achieved the highest possible LEED Platinum level. Another 34 are certified LEED Gold. Read more about some of our most distinguished facilities.

• Kaiser Permanente San Marcos Medical Center (LEED Platinum): Our third San Diego-area medical center opened in 2023 with LEED Platinum designation. We designed the facility to minimize its impact on the environment. As a result, the medical center has an annual energy savings equal to the energy needed to power 3,500 homes. Native plants and efficient irrigation systems save 400,000 gallons of water a month compared to traditional landscaping. And, indoor air quality at the facility is better because of low-emissions furniture, flooring, insulation, and other building materials.
• 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 are 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 was 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.

“LEED is a transformative tool that ensures a building is designed and operated to achieve high performance, improve human health, and protect the environment,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council. “By prioritizing sustainability, Kaiser Permanente is leading the way in the health care industry and helping U.S. Green Building Council continue toward our goal of green buildings for everyone within this generation.”

Kaiser Permanente was the first health care organization in the U.S. certified as carbon neutral. And we’ve prioritized sustainability for decades.

We know one way to improve the health of the people who live in the communities we serve is by improving the environmental conditions where they live.

Learn more about what Kaiser Permanente is doing to protect the environment.