Yesterday,  on word that the US Green Building Council and Metropolitan Chicago Hospital Council's "Greening of Healthcare" conference was at MCHC's HQ, we made the rounds (pun intended), before jetting off for a nightcap at an American Institute of Architect's Pecha Kucha, where networking was also a medical necessity.

USGBC-Chicago Chapter President Doug Wiedener opened with encouraging stats: More than 3k LEED-Certified  and almost 30k LEED-registered projects are underway in the US, reducing energy costs by 30 to 50% and solid waste from construction by 70%. And don't listen to property manager gripes about LEED costing more; with an 8 to 9% reduction in energy costs and a 3% increase in lease rates, green gets you the same bang for your buck.

MCHC's Daniel Yunker, center, shows off the best trade show schwag: a combination screwdriver, flashlight, and level being passed out by Rich Sivertsen and Joanna Haerle of W.E. O'Neil Construction. O'Neil is currently working on the University of Chicago's new hospital, and the green elements created a number of challenges: air quality  has to be especially high when dealing with patients, Rich says. In hospitals, much of the greening involves reducing energy costs because there's so much equipment involved, he added.