Creating an Environmentally Sustainable Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

The number of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) designed to meet basic criteria for green design is increasing. Some organizations, however, are reluctant to embark on a program of sustainability. The resistance is typically due to cost concerns and lack of knowledge about how to accomplish goals of sustainability. This paper evaluates the availability and quality of information with regard to sustainable NICU design. Sources of information are provided including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a system authored by the U.S. Green Building Council, and the recommended standards for newborn ICU design. Among the topics explored via this literature review on green NICUs are sustainable materials and equipment, energy and water conservation, and recycling and waste disposal. Nature and access to daylight are also identified as contributors to sustainability. As such, the role of biophilia (the innate affiliation of humans with nature) in NICU settings is also discussed.