Cedars-Sinai Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion Receives LEED-NC Gold Certification

LOS ANGELES, Calif. –The new home of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, neurosciences programs and stem cell research, the HOK-designed Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion, has received LEED Gold certification, established by the U.S. Green Building Council, for its highly sustainable, energy-efficient design, construction and operation.   

The building, which opened in the summer of 2013, is one of a handful of U.S. healthcare facilities to receive the LEED-NC Gold level of certification. The design minimizes the impact on ecosystems and natural resources by meeting or exceeding five strategic elements of sustainability, including energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, water efficiency, indoor environment quality and overall sustainability.

“As a model for 21st century healthcare, the Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion brings outpatient care and translational research together under one roof,” said Larry Colvin, Cedars-Sinai vice president of facilities, planning, design and construction. “Becoming a LEED-certified facility further exemplifies Cedars-Sinai’s commitment to providing excellent patient-centered care while utilizing the latest technology and scientific discoveries that can be applied directly to patients.”

“Attaining LEED certification is especially challenging for healthcare facilities, given the 24/7 demand on all their systems,” said Ernest Cirangle, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, director of design in HOK’s Los Angeles office. “It takes an enlightened client who understands the long-term return on investment, as well as the immediate return on providing a healthy workplace for staff and a healing environment for patients. Cedars-Sinai’s team had both the knowledge and the conviction to make this project a success.”

The eco-friendly building is located on the eastern side of Cedars-Sinai’s Los Angeles campus on La Cienega Boulevard between West Third Street and Beverly Boulevard. The exterior of the pavilion features a double-facade, high-performance glass skin that reduces heat gain and glare while providing a comfortable interior environment. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer stunning views of the Hollywood Hills and provide natural light. Automated building control systems regulate the building’s energy use. Solar panels on the rooftop of parking lots provide power to the parking garage.

The pavilion serves 500-600 patients each day and houses outpatient services for the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, neurosciences, Regenerative Medicine Institute and other clinical specialties, as well as outpatient procedure suites. Its innovative design brings patient care and translational research together in one place, allowing physicians and scientists to collaborate closely in developing new procedures and treatments. The building connects to the existing medical center campus at the plaza level off the main lobby and with the 180-foot-long, Sue and Bill Gross Skywalk bridge at the fifth level.

HOK’s team worked closely with the construction company, Hathaway Dinwiddie, to achieve sustainable success.