CAMDEN, NJ—When Cooper UniversityHealth Care topped off itsnew 103,050-square-foot cancer facility in Camden, NJ, workers laida final beam with the inscription “Building Hope.” Beyond providinghope through cutting-edge care and discoveries for those strickenwith cancer, the MD Anderson CancerCenter at Cooper was built to create hope for theenvironment.

The center has been recognized by the US Green BuildingCouncil's New Jersey Chapter for setting a new standardfor sustainability among health care facilities. The projectreceived USGBC-NJ's Emerald Award earlier thismonth.

Built on three acres of previously contaminated brownfield,the MD Anderson Cancer Centerat Cooper was designed by LanganEngineering and planned by project architect and LEED®coordinator FrancisCauffman. Partners Engineering &Science performed the mechanical, electrical and plumbingengineering. The goal was for the building to perform 18% abovebase code energy requirements. Unique and innovative featuresinclude:

• Carefully graded pedestrian paths accessible by all people onsite and connected to adjacent campus amenities and masstransit
• Night-sky friendly, energy-efficient lighting that providesenough light for safety while meeting LEED® goals and loweringenergy consumption
• Sustainable stormwater management systems that incorporatelandscape areas and engineered systems for cleansing andinfiltration that exceed local and state water-qualityrequirements
• Lush landscaping, including plantings in beds and pavingsspecially designed to minimize rooftop loading while creating agreen, calming environment
• Redevelopment of a contaminated site through innovativeapproaches to soil reuse and removal of underground tanks

In addition to energy reduction and environmental remediation,the team of designers and planners also focused on indoor airquality in order to provide the optimal environment for patientswith compromised immune systems, as well as for their families andthe facility staff. This meant eliminating or minimizinghuman exposure to various chemicals by:

• Designing the ventilation system to a more stringent code thanASHRAE 62.1
• Monitoring outdoor air intake for pollutants
• Specifying low-emitting materials for all adhesives, paints,flooring and composite wood products
• Developing and enforcing a construction IAQ managementplan

Finally, the team left a percentage of the building as shellspace to provide maximum flexibility for future fit-outs and sothose projects would require minimal disruption to centeroperations and the environment.