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October 22, 2024
The Daniel Kahikina Akaka VA Clinic recently earned a Green Globes for New Construction Certification from Green Building Initiative (GBI) and achieved a Two Green Globes rating following its grand opening in April 2024. The Green Globes certification system is awarded to new construction projects that achieve high standards of resource efficiency and environmental impact reduction, based on GBI’s scoring system.
The process involves a comprehensive review by a third party that evaluates the project on elements including energy, emissions, indoor environment, project management and the overall site. Each variable is evaluated on several criteria; in the case of water, for example, Green Building Initiative has eight areas of concern including water consumption, water treatment, alternate sources of water, metering, irrigation and water-intensive applications.
The $130 million, 88,675-square-foot multi-specialty outpatient clinic provides primary and mental health care, X-ray, laboratory and diagnostic services, and pharmacy and specialty care for roughly 87,000 veterans on O‘ahu, as well as veterans throughout the Pacific Islands.
The clinic’s exterior is clad with a fiber cement siding that is durable in Hawai‘i’s climate and enhances the insulation, adding to the high-performance and energy-saving features of the building. The architectural design incorporates windows at both the roof-line and eye-level, which maximizes the use of natural lighting. Landscaping features drought- tolerant plants native to Kalaeloa.
The clinic’s steel-frame canopy is covered with solar panels that not only provide shelter and shade along the walkway fronting the building, but also generate electricity: A robust photovoltaic system with over 1,300 solar panels helps
power the facility. It features a mix of rooftop photovoltaic arrays and building-integrated photovoltaic canopies with a total capacity of 567 kW.
The facility also features 19 EV charging stations by Xeal.
“Hunt is proud to not only help bring healthcare to the veterans of West O‘ahu, but to do so in a sustainable way,” explains project executive Thomas Lee, Senior Vice President of Hunt Companies Hawai‘i. “The Akaka VA Clinic is designed for today’s veterans and their families, as well as for those individuals who will wear the cloth of our nation many years into the future.”
