Sustainability Initiatives for Beaumont Health System (2014)

Contact full name: 
Kay Winokur
Additional Faculty Advisor(s) and Department(s): 
Paul Goldsmith
Project Status: 
Project in Progress
Client Organization: 
Beaumont Hospital
Client is confirmed: 
yes
Secondary Client Organization: 
Practice Greenhealth
Secondary Client Confirmed: 
yes
SNRE Faculty Advisor: 
Stanton Jones
Advisor Confirmed: 
yes
Additional Faculty Advisor(s) Confirmed: 
yes
Master Students Involved in Project: 
  • Kathryn Godlewski, MS Sustainable Systems
  • Ryan Gourley, MS Behavior, Education and Communication
  • Jacob Hamilton, MLA
  • Kathryn Newhouse, MS Sustainable Systems 
  • Yufan Ruan, MS Sustainable Systems
  • Lauren Smith, MPH/MS Environmental Policy and Planning
City: 
Royal Oak
Contact Phone: 
248-898-0941
State or Country: 
MI
Contact e-mail: 
Kay.Winokur@beaumont.edu
Contact information: 
I am a staff member of a potential client organization
Job title: 
Vice President of Quality, Safety, and Accreditation
Project Location : 
Royal Oak, MI, U.S.A.
Summary of Project Idea: 

Inspired by Dr. Roger Ulrich, Professor at the Department of Architecture and Centre for Healthcare Architecture at Chalmers University of Technology, this project drives to implement many of his ideals on the campus of Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital.  His recent work has dealt with subjects such as the negative impacts of hospital noise on patients and nurses, and how nature, gardens, and art can lessen pain, stress, and healthcare costs.   We agree that a hospital is a place for health promotion and healing and feel that the surrounding landscape should reflect those qualities.

We are also interested in conducting an extensive stormwater analysis and creating a plan that will keep all stormwater on site. This is a design driven Masters Project that will emphasize creating a healthful and therapeutic experience throughout the campus by incorporating low impact development (LID) and LEED practices with an aesthetic appeal.   

Goals:          

  • Create a workable storm-water management system consisting of rain-gardens, bio-detention basins, vegetated wetlands, and potential green-roofs to maintain storm-water runoff from rooftops, pavements and other impermeable surfaces.

            --Beaumont directs their storm-water into a combined sewer system.  By implementing these LID practices, we will be reducing the risk of having combined sewer overflows (CSO's).

  • Design and install therapeutic garden spaces to be used by patients, their families and hospital staff.  Where possible, principles of therapeutic landscape design will be integrated holistically on the hospital campus, including areas created for storm-water management.

            --We would like to facilitate community involvement in the design process to generate plans fitting to their wants and needs.
    

Skills/Expertise Needed: 
  • Civil Engineering background
  • Landscape Architect or other design background
  • Understanding and interest of storm-water and water quality
  • Background or interest in Environmental Psychology or Health & Environment
SNRE Program Areas: 
Behavior, Education, and Communication
Sustainable Systems
Landscape Architecture
Professional Career Development Benefits: 
  • Experience a simulation of a multi-disciplinary environmental firm
  • Work directly with supervisors and directors of one of the largest Hospitals in Michigan
  • First hand involvement on a major LEED driven project
  • Opportunity to monitor the effectiveness of engineered wetland habitats that are created
Identify expected products/deliverables: 

We expect to develop a workable set of documents including a site plan, drainage plan, planting plan, lighting plan, irrigation plan (if applicable), maintenance plan,  detail drawings and educational signage on site.  Following completion, these documents will have potential to be set out for bidding through a conference with contractors.