Feeling kinda green? This hospital is for you

I went to a major health care technology show late last month (on behalf of my client Cisco) where I had the chance to hear a bit about a new hospital being built by Palomar Pomerado Health in San Diego. The project isn't done yet, but Palomar President and CEO Michael Cover touts the facility as a "green hospital" scheduled to open in 2011 that will make use of the both advanced networking technology and sustainable building design practices to cut down on energy consumption.

Among other things, the 1.2-million-square foot building will include design features such as green roofs, which not only will give patients and visitors a place to escape but will reduce storm water runoff and host plants that will counteract greenhouse gas emissions. The interior design will be optimized to avoid heat islands and allow for better circulation, and will include an integrated building automation system that can be used to control lighting and other environmental functions. The concept of hospital beds also will be very different, featuring flexible technology that can be moved from room to room to serve the greatest need. Basically, this is a hospital that rethinks the concept of being a hospital.

If you feel like tracking the progress, here's the construction cam.