From Feng-Shui-inspired curves of patient rooms to expansive views of ponds and woods, Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital delivers the latest medical technology while promoting wellness in patients and the environment. This LEED Silver certified facility is the result of a major low-impact development that expanded an existing medical facility. Engineering design focused on achieving sustainability through a comprehensive upgrade of stormwater management practices and incorporation of numerous sustainable features into the facility.
An innovative stormwater management approach that retrofitted six Best Management Practices (BMP) within the 80-acre site constraints provides extraordinary protection of the environment. On-site wetlands and rain gardens were created to treat and retain stormwater runoff. Mechanical pretreatment systems collect runoff from paved areas and remove suspended solids and oils. Flow is then conveyed through vegetated channels and stored in the main detention pond. The detention pond was enlarged with a created wetland area to triple capacity and reduce flashy discharge rates by 83%, a rate comparable to that of an undeveloped site. The redesign incorporated all existing connections while allowing for the runoff that would come from the expanded parking lot, roof areas, roads and off-site areas. This reduces the potential for downstream flooding and erosion while providing a sustained flow of treated stormwater to support the aquatic environment.
