The Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas has received a platinum designation in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for green building in health care facilities, Seton Healthcare Family announced July 9.

The U.S. Green Building Council recognized The W.H. And Elaine McCarty South Tower at Dell Children's with the LEED designation for its environmentally sensitive design.

The tower received the highest LEED level possible under the health care rating system for green building. This is the second platinum award for Dell Children's, as it became the first LEED Platinum Certified hospital in 2008, before there was a specific rating system for health care facilities.

"I think specifically at Dell Children's, this [designation] is really seen as a continuation of a level of excellence that was set when the hospital was originally built," said Michele Van Hyfte, manager of environmental stewardship for Seton Healthcare Family. "We are maintaining a level of excellence by continuing to achieve the highest levels of sustainability that we can."

The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit organization that promotes cost-efficient and energy-saving sustainability. For a building to qualify for LEED-HC (LEED Healthcare) certification, it must be a facility where health care services are provided and must exceed environmental standards in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The tower opened in May 2013 and was designed to conserve water and electricity, improve air quality, reduce pollutants and more. Air quality in a building is determined by how much fresh air is coming in, how well that air is filtered and what materials were used to build the interior of the building, Van Hyfte said. She said the south tower improves air quality because the materials used are as nontoxic as possible and contain no harmful chemicals.

"It is the least harmful environment as possible," Van Hyfte said.

The opening of the south tower created 72 more beds, allowing the hospital to serve 40 percent more patients than before. The tower includes an expanded Children's Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and multiple "family-centric" features, including three lounges with kitchen amenities, a laundry facility, a business center and a healing garden.