At TMC, we’re eager to do our part to decrease our environmental footprint. As we continue to develop and grow purposefully, we recognize that being a resilient, eco-friendly member of our region’s healthcare system is essential.
For example, we’ve gone green at TMC Helix Park, planting over 1,700 new trees that represent 30 unique and local species. These abundant canopies help reduce the “heat island” effect by providing cooling and shade, while offering local birds and wildlife a welcoming natural habitat.
In addition, the buildings at TMC Helix Park are being developed with a green and clean mindset: The TMC3 building, which has achieved LEED Silver certification, is designed to minimize waste through cutting-edge design and insulation, LED lights, and low-flow water fixtures; the Dynamic One Building offers a High-Performance Lab heading for LEED Gold. Future properties will also implement intelligent building technologies, enabling greater energy consumption management, load balancing, and systems efficiency. At the same time, we are looking to retrofit older TMC buildings to become more sustainable.
Our campus-wide energy system is also built for maximum efficiency. We use TECO’s CHP system, which recycles waste heat from power generation to produce cooling and heating from a single source. There’s no need to burn fuels or store refrigerants and chemicals on-site. The TECO facility at TMC employs stringent emission controls and produces enough electricity to keep chillers and boilers running even if the electricity grid goes down.
This resiliency is critical in a world of worsening extreme weather. From Tropical Storm Allison to Hurricane Harvey and every downpour in between, we need to be ready for anything, and we’ve taken steps to prepare for it.
- Flood readiness: TMC Helix Park is six feet above Harris County’s 100-year floodplain and uses permeable pavers to minimize runoff.
- Stormwater management: In addition to the floodgates installed after Allison and proven effective during Harvey, TMC Helix Park includes an 8.5-million-gallon detention tank the size of 12 Olympic swimming pools that will capture stormwater runoff and release it slowly and safely into Brays Bayou.
As a medical and environmental leader, TMC recognizes that a healthy planet means healthier people. On Earth Day and every day, we are committed to making large and small improvements to enhance the well-being of our community and our world.