Healthcare buildings (hospitals, nursing homes and outpatient centers) are unique buildings. They hold a special place in our culture and communities. They are centers for healing and wellness, and places where people and their families gather to receive comfort, celebrate and mourn.
The U. S. Green Building Council's original Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC®) was designed to be most applicable to commercial office buildings. This market was targeted since it accounted for the greatest annual volume of construction in the United States. While healthcare buildings share a number of features in common with commercial office buildings, they are also very different in design, construction and operation.