Hospice of Palm Beach County has taken a 4,200-square-foot former bank building in Juno Beach and renovated it using many green features.
The green elements of the building focus on energy and water conservation. One of the unusual features of the office is its open floor plan. “By eliminating most walls, more natural light is brought into the entire building, thus reducing the use of overhead lighting,” Paul Broggi, Hospice of Palm Beach Countys Director of Facility Management said. Other energy-saving features include a metal roof and windows made of high-performance glass, both of which help keep the building cool by reflecting heat. The facility also uses a high-efficiency air conditioning system to save energy and low water use toilets to conserve water. Green elements were also a consideration during the renovation of not just the building, but of the property itself. The grounds are designed using Xeriscape, a method that utilizes creative landscaping to reduce the amount of water needed to sustain it. In addition, a quarter-acre DEP-mandated wetlands reserve is located on the property. This is a natural outdoor space that does not require maintenance such as mowing or watering. The facility, which is scheduled to open in April, is not a patient care facility, but rather an administrative location that will serve as a home base to five patient care teams and other employees that service northern Palm Beach County.
