Author: Slocum Center
Date: 02/12/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Bauman, 868-3225
Liz Cawood, 484-7052.

EUGENE, Ore., February 11, 2009 - "Physicians focus on health, so it was only natural for us to protect and enhance our community's environmental health in the construction and operation of The Slocum Center," said Dr. Thomas K. Wuest, president of Slocum Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. "It was our intent to achieve at least LEED® Silver Certification. Today, I am proud to announce that the Slocum Center has been awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council."

The 80,000 square foot, four-story building sits at the intersection of Coburg Rd. and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Eugene. Construction began in 2006, and the building was completed in the late summer of 2007. The Neenan Company, a specialized healthcare design-build firm based in Fort Collins, Colo., designed and built the facility. Numerous local contractors were also involved.

"When we first started planning for our new building, we recognized the challenges of redevelopment in an urban environment," Wuest said. "Yet, we also saw the opportunity to create a building that made a sustainable statement at one of Eugene's key entrances. We couldn't be more pleased with the level of LEED certification and our facility."

"The physician-owners set an exceptional goal to eliminate all materials and products manufactured with PVCs," said Whitney Churchill, design manager with The Neenan Company. "Alternative materials were evaluated and suppliers were challenged to eliminate or reduce PVCs in their products. Alternative design solutions were developed. As a result, there was a 30 percent reduction in PVC-based products, which is a major accomplishment."

SOLARC, a Eugene-based architecture and engineering firm, administered the LEED process, ensuring that credits were achieved, and collecting data and submitting it to the USGBC. Early in the planning, SOLARC led an Eco Charrette to set sustainability goals with the owner, McKay Commercial Properties, and Slocum physicians.

"Because the physicians at Slocum and the SOLARC design team collaborated, more LEED credits were attained, including the use of healthy non-toxic materials and finishes." SOLARC Principal Galen Ohmart said. "These decisions were instrumental in receiving the LEED Gold Certification."

As a result of charrette, these priorities were established:

• Minimize energy use
• Reduce material use
• Incorporate the use of sustainable materials
• Promote the comfort of occupants
• Achieve a healthy building environment with daylight and effective ventilation
• Reduce operating and maintenance costs

The Slocum Center is one of the most energy efficient buildings in the Eugene Water & Electric Board's Energy Smart Design program, and is 33 percent more efficient than current Oregon building code requires. EWEB provided financial incentives to lower the cost of the building's energy efficiency measures.

"When we broke ground for this building, we said our goal was to use a third less electricity than a standard clinical building," Wuest said. "I'm proud that we achieved our goal and we thank EWEB and SOLARC for their work to make this happen."

Slocum employees were involved, even before the building opened, and formed a Green Team to identify and promote sustainable programs. Wuest applauded these efforts, which include recycling all glass medicine vials through Aurora Glass, donating all newspapers to The Mission, recycling lithium batteries, and using paper with the maximum recycled content. The Green Team continues to promote sustainable activities today.

Many local businesses worked on Slocum Center, including:

• TBG Architect, planning
• Hohbach-Lewin, Inc., structural engineer
• CMG&S, landscape architect
• Rexius, landscape contractor
• Twin Rivers Plumbing
• FM Sheet Metal
• SS&W Engineers
• Western Partitions

Slocum Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine includes some of Oregon's best-known orthopedic surgeons and physicians, and a team of specialized medical staff members. In addition to physician offices, the comprehensive orthopedic care center includes therapy services, outpatient surgery, and diagnostic imaging.

The organization grew from 148 employees in 2005 to 236 in 2008. It expects to add employees in 2009. The Slocum Center received Eugene Mayor Piercy's first sustainability award, Bold Steps to Sustainability, was recognized by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce with the Emerald Award for Environmental Values, and was featured in the fall issue of Green Business Quarterly.