| By Ana Maria Valle |
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The goal of any successful health care project is to build highly efficient buildings where medical staff can deliver excellent care to patients, and to create an environment that is appealing and comfortable for patients, visitors and medical staff. In addition to these primary objectives, creating an environment that meets or exceeds the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act of 1996 (HIPAA) oral privacy standards not only makes legal sense, it communicates to patients how important it is to protect their privacy.
HIPAA regulations address the security and privacy of “protected health information” (PHI), with an emphasis on acoustical privacy to safeguard confidential conversations and visual privacy of a patient’s medical records. While creating successful acoustic environments can be challenging, regular sound assessments and acoustical maintenance of equipment are essential to maintaining an auditory environment that promotes the effectiveness of caregivers as well as patient rest and healing.
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Grid walls, wood finished surfaces, wall coverings, Venetian Plasters, faux painted surfaces; all examples of ‘high value walls.’ These shouldn’t have nails, or other fasteners, driven into them. Protect your valuable wall surfaces. AS Hanging Systems’ Click Rail track was installed and painted to match the vintage wood paneling of this government office building. No future holes – even with the number of administrations this space will be asked to host over its lifetime.
For more information, visit www.ashanging.com.
The U.S. Green Building Council recently launched the Building Performance Initiative, which, among other objectives, was designed to put in place a comprehensive data collection effort from all buildings that have achieved LEED certification.
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Kimball Office, IDEC Partner to Elevate Importance of Design Educators
To encourage senior-level designers to participate as industry educators, Kimball Office and the Interior Design Educators Council are partnering at the 2009 International Interior Design Association NeoCan’t Trade Fair.
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High-Performance Building Web Site Launched
In addition to providing the latest news and green building industry-related events,
www.eco-intel.com contains four key sections: Design, Building Science and Performance, Business, and Materials.
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Allsteel Donates Furniture to Boston Food Bank
Repurposing products that had been used for local trade show displays, Allsteel recently donated furnishings to the Greater Boston Food Bank’s newly expanded distribution facility.
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Celebrating 25 years of its innovative Pearlescence Collection, Lamin-Art introduces new colors, new finishes, and an expanded selection of expressive and unconventional options to create distinctive interiors. With 50 colors and six finishes to choose from, Lamin-Art offers the widest Pearlescence high-pressure decorative laminate range in the industry. With its eye-catching qualities, Pearlescence is perfect for commercial and institutional designs including hotels, restaurants, schools, and retail environments.
Learn more at www.pearlescence.com.
| September 1, 2009 |
| This Month's Poll |
| Do you plan to cut back on travel to industry events or shows due to the economy? |
| Submit your answer online » |
| Featured Downloads |
| Pearlescence: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of a Technological Breakthrough |
| Pilkington Optiwhite Low Iron Glass |
High-Performance Green Building Awards Program Announced
Architecture for Humanity Announces Finalists for Design Challenge
GBI Launches Two New Certification Programs
Online Tool Takes Guesswork Out of Creating Sustainable Spaces
FSC Announces Call for Submissions
USG Announces New Design Studio Tools
National Showroom Earns LEED Certification
Oregon Office Building Earns Highest Green Globes Rating
Sustainable Initiatives Planned for Sears Tower
National Summit Advances Green Building in Canada
