New Mather Veterans Affairs Hospital Will Rely On Solar Power

MATHER (CBS13) — A new Veterans Affairs hospital is opening in Mather to serve a growing patient population.

The staff at the 19,000-square-foot, solar-powered facility is very proud of the new outpatient building at Mather.

"It's built with energy and environment in mind," said nurse manager Jeanne Mahar.

The $10 million surgical specialty building is packed with state-of-the-art medical equipment—something Mahar says is long overdue.

"We have about 90,000 vets that we serve right now," she said.

And that list is growing by three percent every year, with many of the patients coming from the new generation of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

They hope to put vets at ease, using paint with cooler tones and a home-like environment that reduces stress.

"It'll help calm them," Mahar said. "They won't feel so nervous about going in and having a minor procedure in one of those rooms."

About 70 percent of the facility's energy will come from solar panels, and the windows are also geared to be energy efficient.

VA officials say the new facility will save taxpayers money—up to 40 percent, compared to non-energy-efficient buildings. The property is also landscaped with drought-resistant plants.

After six years of government red tape and construction, the building will open for business on May 5.