Park Tower Improves Patient Experience with greenscreen(R)

PRLog (Press Release) - Jan 28, 2010 -
LOS ANGELES…Located in Louisville, KY, Baptist Hospital East recently expanded its site to include a 275,000-square-foot addition known now as Park Tower. With the help of greenscreen® green walls, the new facility provides its patients with an improved healthcare experience by offering plenty of natural sunlight, beautiful exterior views and surrounding greenery with a healing garden.

The nine-story facility allows Baptist Hospital East to accommodate more patients, housing 144 new patient rooms. Additionally, Park Tower features eight operating rooms, 24 prep/recovery rooms and a new Post Anesthesia Care Unit as well as covered parking for visitors and patients. But Baptist Hospital East wanted to do more than just increase its patient capacity – it wanted to improve the overall patient experience.  

Project architect Jacob Kain, formerly with Engberg Anderson, suggested introducing greenery to the patient environment as a way to incorporate sustainability while also providing an appealing aesthetic. More specifically, Kain recommended installing greenscreen® green walls around the Park Tower. Not only can green walls improve aesthetics and offer building structure protection, they also act as a key element in promoting urban reforestation, sustainability and other environmental values important to today’s building and architecture community.

greenscreen® manufactures a unique three-dimensional, welded wire trellising system that utilizes plants to help increase building energy efficiency by functioning as a natural exterior shading system, reducing heat build-up indoors. greenscreen® systems perform as a non-intrusive natural building element, creating a captive growing space for plants to flourish and intertwine. Unlike living walls, green wall systems are unobtrusive, installed away from the building envelope. This makes them a good choice for both new and retrofit projects.

Engberg Anderson opted to wrap the Park Tower with windows to provide patients and employees with plenty of natural light as well as views of the healing garden, greenery and a nearby park. Kain and his team worked with a landscape architect to create a network of green spaces for the facility, combining horizontal and vertical landscape elements.

“The landscaping played an integral part in the design process,” Kain offers. “We specifically planned the greenery to work with the building’s layout and made sure that the occupants would always have access to the beautiful exterior views. The patients say it has transformed their healthcare experience.”

The Park Tower features ground level landscaping as well as a green roof on the second floor. A vertical green wall system occupies approximately 720 square feet of the third floor, adding color to the façade through the use of morning glories. An otherwise lifeless wall was further transformed with native honeysuckle, planted in a 12-inch deep plant bed.

“It’s been nearly two years since we completed the project, and we’re still very pleased with the choice of greenery and the continued growth of the vegetation,” Kain explains. “It’s right on with what we envisioned – beautiful landscaping that creates a sense of vitality for the Park Tower.”

To learn more about greenscreen® green walls, visit www.greenscreen.com.