Green Features

Location – The Perelman Center occupies a converted brownfield site. It is adjacent to major rail and bus transportation, which encourages commuting by mass transportation rather than by automobile.

Energy Efficiency – The Perelman Center is 15 percent more energy efficient than conventional buildings. With the use of energy saving materials and mechanical systems, the annual energy cost savings is approximately $350,000, with an estimated 3,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide kept from the atmosphere*.

Windows – The windows are specially designed to prevent the heat of summer from entering the building, while allowing the warmth of the winter sun to help heat the building.

Landscaping – Only native plants that thrive on local annual rainfall as opposed to irrigation were used in the Perelman Center's landscaping.

Recycling – Recycling rooms dedicated to the separation, collection and storage of paper, aluminum cans, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics and metals are part of the building. Fluorescent light bulbs will also be collected and recycled. During construction, green waste management practices kept 600 tons of construction debris out of the landfills by recycling.

Housekeeping – The Perelman Center uses a green housekeeping program, meaning chemical and cleaning agents are non-toxic and meet environmental standards. All paper towels and toilet tissue are non-chlorine bleached and contain recycled content. Microfiber mops are expected to save over 300,000 gallons of water annually compared to conventional mops.

Ozone Friendly – No CFC refrigerants (a major contributor to ozone depletion) are used in any mechanical equipment.

Healthy Indoor Environment – Indoor air contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been reduced at the Perelman Center through the use of low-emitting materials. Solvent-free paints, adhesives, sealants, tiles and carpets that meet low VOC standards were used throughout the Center. In addition, no urea-formaldehyde was used in glues for composite wood. All of these steps reduce the amount of potentially harmful airborne contaminants that can typically be created from construction materials and remain with the building after it is occupied.

Sustainable Wood – Only wood from sustainable forests (trees specifically planted for building purposes and not rain forest or old-growth forests) was used in the Perelman Center construction.

Bicycle Racks and Changing Rooms – Bicycle storage racks are located at the building's main entrances and in the parking garage. Changing rooms and shower facilities make commuting to the Perelman Center by bike more convenient.

Garage – Electric charging stations for 21 vehicles are located in the parking garage to help promote the use of environmentally friendly automobile transportation, potentially removing 36 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year**. Concrete and asphalt absorb much more heat from the sun than vegetation, so parking lots increase the temperature of the air above them. Underground parking at the Perelman Center reduces the heat-gain usually created by surface parking lots.

No Smoking – The Perelman Center, like all Penn facilities, is a smoke-free environment. Designated exterior smoking areas are located away from entries and operable windows.

Patient Comfort – Acoustically treated walls and ceilings were used throughout the Perelman Center to reduce noise transfer and provide a more calming environment.

Neighborhood – The roof of the Perelman Center is highly reflective to help reduce absorption of the sun's heat, thus lowering the demand for air conditioning. The Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine is designed with patients and the environment foremost in mind. Penn is proud to preserve the environment while continuing to deliver world-class care to its patients.

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