Architects and construction officials joined Puyallup leaders, community members and hospital employees to unveil a plaque that was awarded by the Green Building Certification Institute in honor of the sustainable design and construction of the new Dally Tower at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.

Dally Tower, which opened in February 2011, is the first inpatient hospital in Washington state to receive the Gold award for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, known as LEED.

“Our goal from the beginning was to create a healing environment for our patients, their families, our staff and the community,” said Glenn Kasman, President of MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital. “This is truly is a celebration of partnerships, from the very beginning with MultiCare and Good Samaritan coming together to see the need in our community for updated facilities and technology, and for fulfilling that vision with the Dally Tower; to the partnership with the City of Puyallup, which set the standard in ‘green’ building design with their beautiful new LEED Gold City Hall, as well as their partnership in the permitting, licensing and approval process of the construction; to the partnership that was formed when two design firms came together to form the Good Sam Design Collaborative and gather the ideas of everyone to create a solid blueprints, that our general contractor, Skanska, was so aptly able to achieve — and then some.”

The architect was Good Sam Design Collaborative, a joint project between Clark/Kjos Architects and GBJ Architecture. The general contractor was Skanska USA.

“MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital represents healing,” said Tom Clark of Good Sam Design Collaborative. “So from the early stages of the project there was a desire to create a healthy hospital.”

The plaque says: “Inspired by our mission to create a healthier community, the design of the Dally Tower embraces innovative green building principles. The Dally Tower is distinguished as the first inpatient hospital facility in Washington to achieve LEED Gold certification.”

The nine-story Dally Tower includes 78 private patient rooms, technologically advanced surgery suites, and an expanded and updated Emergency Department. LEED Gold status was awarded based on many green elements, including water and power saving features, two green roofs, rain gardens, and the construction methods and materials used throughout the project. All paints, adhesives, sealants and carpets have low-volatile organic compounds. The certification signifies that Good Samaritan reduces waste and harmful greenhouse gas emissions and conserves energy.