Earth Day is celebrated every day at Health City Cayman Islands by implementing an impressive array of planet-friendly initiatives which abound on the well landscaped property.
"We were built and will expand with sustainability and safety in mind," said Shomari Scott, Marketing Director of the tertiary referral hospital, who underscored that high energy efficiency is an imperative component of Health City's operations.
Ryan Smith, Director of Health City's Facilities Management, pointed to the harvesting of rain water for grey water use, which reduces the hospital's reliance on city water. "In addition, our reclamation of treated sewage effluent for irrigation drastically reduces our need to use city water and natural resources."
Smith asserted Health City's sensible energy program lowers demand from the local grid through the use of an Automated Building Management System that results in better efficiency control of systems, lowering electrical, gas and water demands.
Additionally, the production of medical oxygen at the hospital cuts the power bills as well as the carbon footprint from the importation of liquid oxygen; while onsite medical waste management removes the need for a medical waste incinerator, and onsite recycling lowers the volume added to the current landfill.
The HVAC system design is based on efficiency, allowing systems to operate based on individual clinical requirements, lowering overall energy consumption.
Even the landscaping is sustainable at Health City, through the use of construction and land clearing materials for landscape mulch and the relocation of special indigenous trees which maintains special local species of trees, flora, fauna, and birds to facilitate species' sustainability. Close coordination with the National Trust, Botanic Park, Orchid Society, and members of the public, has helped to identify, preserve, and propagate plant species.
A 1.2 MW Solar Farm, the largest of its kind for a Caribbean hospital is in the pipeline, to generate electricity, chilled and hot water; while a salt water district cooling system, an extremely efficient, cutting edge, zero emission technology is planned for Health City once the development expands. This technology is now estimated to reduce air conditioning electrical demand by approximately 80 to 90 percent.
