MEDIA CONTACT:

Maria Nelson

Phone: (920) 574-3253

Cell: (920) 209-2323

Email: maria@redshoespr.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 30th, 2013

Affinity Medical Group Neenah Clinic achieves LEED Gold

Certification

Energy reduction drives sustainable designation

Neenah, Wis. – The Affinity Medical Group Neenah clinic has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy

and Environmental Design) Gold certification through the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Located on 101 Main St., the Affinity Medical Group Neenah clinic joins six other LEED certified Affinity

facilities: The St. Elizabeth Hospital south edition, the Heart, Lung & Vascular Center at St. Elizabeth

Hospital and five other Affinity Medical Group clinics: Darboy clinic, Greenville clinic, Deerwood clinic

and Little Chute clinic.

“We’re thrilled to have another Affinity facility added to the LEED Gold certification list,” said Gary

Kusnierz, vice president of performance excellence, Ministry Health Care. “Incorporating sustainable

design into all Affinity construction projects is something we pride ourselves in. Our goal with every

project is to build with the patient in mind and deliver on our promise of personalized care. Combining

opportunities to preserve and protect the environment with keeping our promise to patients is the

reason we are committed to building green.”

Affinity is an industry leader in sustainable design and has been recognized by a number of health and

environmental agencies, such as Practice GreenHealth, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Green Tier Program and USGBC.

The combination of the environmental design savings with other systems allows the Affinity Medical

Group Neenah clinic to achieve a net result of 26 percent energy savings over baseline and the clinic is

anticipated to be Energy Star rated among the top 16 percent of clinics in the nation. The facility also

features a green roof, which in addition to adding a healing benefit to patients, also has the following

features:

• Optimizes energy performance

• Protects and restores habitat

• Maximizes open space

• Uses water-efficient landscaping

• Uses recycled content

• Uses regional materials

Elements of the building that contribute to the LEED Gold certification include:

• High reflectance roofing system and green roof.

• LED (light emitting diode) exterior lighting that reduces light pollution allowing the nighttime

visibility of stars.

• Brownfield site remediation – the land the clinic is built on was previously the Glatfelter Paper

Mill, which was contaminated over time. The old foundation and contaminants underwent

remediation through a combination of removal methods to appropriate permanent disposal and

treatment facilities.

• Community space – benches and parks allow community access and space to connect with

nature.

• Construction waste management plan that achieved over 90 percent recycle rate.

• Building materials – over 30 percent of the clinic’s material is composed of both pre and post-

consumer recycled content with regional materials sourced from a 500-mile radius of the clinic.

• Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior materials like such as flooring, paint, adhesives

and sealants are used to provide high indoor air quality.

• Low-flow plumbing fixtures and no irrigation landscaping greatly minimizes the use of water in

and around the facility.

The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary standards and certification program created by the

U.S. Green Building Council that recognizes environmentally friendly construction projects. LEED design

follows six criteria:

• Energy efficiency and savings

• Sustained site development

• Water efficiency and savings

• Conservation of materials and selection

• Indoor environmental quality

• Innovation in design

Media are invited to cover the Affinity Medical Group Neenah clinic’s LEED Gold certification.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Affinity Medical Group Neenah clinic

101 Main Street, Neenah

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About Ministry Health Care

Ministry Health Care is an integrated healthcare delivery network serving more than 1.1 million people

across Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. Ministry generates nearly $2.2 billion in annual operating

revenue with 15 hospitals, 47 clinics, and more than 12,000 associates including 650 physicians and

advanced practice clinicians. Ministry Health Care recently joined Ascension Health as the second

healthcare ministry in Wisconsin. Ascension is the largest Catholic and not-for-profit healthcare system

in the nation. Ministry is ranked among the top 20 percent of healthcare systems in the country

according to Truven Health Analytics.

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