Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham First to Use Bioretention
Needham, Massachusetts—Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital’s South Wing Expansion Project is the first construction project in Needham’s history to install a bioretention system that uses soil, plants and microbes to remove pollutants and treat storm water before it is discharged.
Date: 6/16/2009
BIDMC Contact: Rose Lewis
Phone: 781-453-3891
Email: Rlewis2@bidneedham.org
Bioretention “cells” are shallow depressions filled with sandy soil, topped with a thick layer of mulch, and planted with dense vegetation. The storm water runoff flows into the cell and slowly percolates through the soil, which acts as a filter, and the groundwater. Some of the water is also taken up by the plants. Bioretention is usually designed to allow ponding of water up to 6-8 inches deep, with an overflow outlet to prevent flooding during heavy storms
“While we are building a better hospital we are also building better systems for a cleaner environment,” said Jeffrey H. Liebman, president and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham. “We know everyone in the area will benefit from an environmental system that gets rid of pollutants, increases the green area and protects the town from local flooding.”
Bioretention areas enhance the landscape in a variety of ways: they improve the appearance of developed sites, provide wind breaks, absorb noise, provide wildlife habitats, and reduce hot spots on site. Studies indicate that bioretention areas can remove as much as 75% of phosphorus and nitrogen; 95% of metals; and 90% of organics. Low-tech decentralization bioretention areas are also less costly to design, install and maintain than conventional storm water technologies.
Bioretention has been used throughout the United States as a storm water best management practice since 1992.
The South Wing Expansion Project will add 37, 000 square feet to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham. The new area includes a state of the art Emergency Department, 20 private, inpatient rooms and a permanent MRI suite. The expansion is scheduled to open this fall.
About Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham (BID-Needham) is a 41-bed acute care community hospital that has served Boston area residents continuously for more than 90 years. This community hospital, previously known as The Glover Hospital, joined Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in 2002. The hospital provides outpatient and inpatient services, complete diagnostic facilities, a full-service emergency department and all other hospital-based services including cardiology and general surgery. All departments are staffed by BIDMC and BID-Needham physicians.
