Green Building Construction

The Palm Desert Health Sciences Building was architectually designed by HMC Architects and the general contractor was Swinterton Builders. Every facet of the design was considered to ensure environmental sustainability. For instance, the building materials were selected with high levels of recycled content. Building materials were sourced within a 500 mile radius of the jobsite. Wood-based materials were sourced from sustainably harvested forests. Nearly 90% of the construction debris was recycled or diverted from landfills. The outside artwork was created with recycled materials. The paint, carpet, sealants, and adhesives have low emissions for good indoor air quality. Other examples are evident when you visit the energy and water efficiency pages on this green building website.

Building Facts

Number of square feet - 23,273

Cubic yards of earth excavated - 10,555

Cubic yards of poured-in place-concrete - 1,267

Tons of structural steel - 40

• Tons of steel recycled - 19

Square feet of drywall used - 95,099

• Tons of drywall recycled - 25

Number of doors - 78

Linear feet of electrical conduit - 47,000

Tons of recycled wood - 20