UC Irvine’s second LEED Platinum in one month is added to eight gold awards.

UC Irvine's Sue and Bill Gross Hall

It’s a simple pleasure: the ability to open a conference-room window and let in the afternoon breeze. But operable windows are also a good energy strategy and just one of the many green features and amenities that earned UC Irvine’s Sue & Bill Gross Hall: A CIRM Institute its second LEED Platinum certification in a month from the U.S. Green Building Council. A platinum designation is the agency’s highest honor; the campus has received eight LEED Gold certifications.

“This is a great day for UC Irvine’s sustainability program,” said Richard Demerjian, director of environmental planning & sustainability. “Gross Hall is one of the most energy-efficient lab buildings in the U.S.”

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design ratings are determined on a point basis in the following categories: site sustainability, water efficiency, energy & atmosphere, materials & resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation & design process.

Gross Hall scored points for such features as dimmable and occupancy-controlled lighting, use of energy-saving building materials, and mechanical systems that are 50 percent more efficient than required by California’s Title 24 energy code. The operable windows are tied into the heating and air-conditioning controls so that when a window is opened, mechanical ventilation of that room shuts off.

An $80 million, 100,000-square-foot structure, Gross Hall was designed to facilitate contact between patients in the first-floor clinic and rehabilitation center and stem cell researchers on the first, second and third floors. Labs are equipped with Aircuity technology that monitors indoor air quality and adjusts air-change rates based on contaminant levels.

“This LEED Platinum certification recognizes Gross Hall’s extraordinary energy efficiency, plus its many other green building features,” Demerjian said, “further establishing UC Irvine as a national leader in campus sustainability.”

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UC Irvine is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County’s second-largest employer, UC Irvine contributes an annual economic impact of $4 billion. For more news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

Hospital complex is expected to open in 2015.

UCSF Medical Center CEO Mark Laret and San Francisco Supervisor Malia Cohen

Much has been said and written about the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay, a $1.5 billion project years in the making that will result in San Francisco’s first new hospital in decades.

Some people point to the facility’s high-tech features and environmentally sustainable design; others to the collaborative environment that will result from the placement of specialty hospitals for children, women and cancer patients just steps away from UCSF’s 42.5-acre biomedical research and teaching campus.

But the goal of the ambitious project may be best summed up by five words scrawled in small print on a steel beam resting atop the emerging hospital complex: “We make life better here.”

The 29-foot white beam was installed Oct. 17 as part of a “topping out” celebration to mark the end of the project’s structural steel phase, as a crowd of hundreds of construction workers and project supporters looked on. The event — a tradition in building construction — was an opportunity to recognize and thank the massive team that contributed to the design and initial construction of the 878,000-gross-square-foot facility.  

When it opens in early 2015, the 289-bed medical center will set a new standard for patient- and family-centered health care, safety, sustainability and translational medicine.

“The steel structure of our new medical center rests on a foundation that is much more than concrete,” said Mark Laret, chief executive officer of the UCSF Medical Center and the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. “This construction milestone only is possible because of the talented workers we salute today, in addition to the ongoing support of our community of neighbors and most important, our visionary, generous donors.”

[Related: See additional UCSF coverage]

“It has taken an entire community to bring us to this very special milestone,” added Cindy Lima, the project’s executive director, who described the steel structure as “a house in which we’ll provide caring, healing, teaching, and discovery.”

Weighing in at 1,600 pounds, the symbolic beam represents just a fraction of the 9,272 tons of steel that will comprise the hospital complex. In addition to messages and signatures from UCSF staff, patients, donors, and construction workers, the beam was decorated with artwork by adult and pediatric patients, an American flag, and a small, live tree symbolizing “good luck and hope for the future,” Lima said.

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UC’s sustainability efforts pay off.

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine research building

If you build it, they will come. But who will pay the electricity bill?

That’s the conundrum UC Davis faced with a new building for its School of Veterinary Medicine. The $58.5 million project is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2012, but with its facilities budget stretched to its limit, the campus needed creative solutions to cover the research lab building’s $1.4 million a year operating costs.

“How do you absorb $1.4 million in energy costs, custodial costs and groundskeeping costs — all the costs that keep a building running?” said Sid England, UC Davis’ assistant vice chancellor for environmental stewardship and sustainability. “It’s like somebody gave you money to buy a toy, but you don’t have the batteries for it.”

So the campus turned to sustainable practices to cut energy use and other costs to fund the new building’s operation. Some of the options included tweaking the design and operations plan of the new building to maximize efficiency while expanding conservation efforts and consolidating unused space in other veterinary school buildings.

While plans haven’t been finalized, England said there’s enough potential savings from utilizing high-efficiency lighting, heating, cooling and by retiring underused low-temperature lab freezers and other measures to get the new building up and running.

“The budget issue has brought us to the point,” England said. “We have to look for ways to save energy, and saving on energy of course also reduces our carbon footprint, which is another one of our goals.”

In an era of reduced budgets and cost cutting, UC’s sustainability efforts are allowing it to save money while furthering its goals to make its campuses greener.

The topic is what England, UC Berkeley Sustainability Director Lisa McNeilly and UC systemwide Sustainability Manager Matt St. Clair have been invited to present in a panel called “Crisis Into Opportunity: Can Sustainability Programs and Budget Cuts be Mutually Supportive?” at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s national conference this week in Pittsburgh.

UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy White is one of the keynote speakers at the conference. He is chair of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment and the UC Riverside Chancellor’s Committee on Sustainability. White’s speech focuses on the important role universities play in sustainability, serving as a resource and role models for the communities they serve, even during a budget crunch.

“Despite significant budget challenges in the state of California — and perhaps because of them — I continue to fund UCR’s sustainability program, not only because I believe it is the right thing to do, but because in the long run I believe it will not only conserve precious natural resources but also save our institution money,” White said in his prepared remarks.

The University of California is one of the pioneers of sustainability within higher education, and the cost savings associated with being green takes on greater importance as public universities face the budget ax.

“The more we spend on energy, water and waste disposal, that’s less money we have to spend on academics and research,” St. Clair said. “UC was focused on sustainability before this budget crisis. Now more than ever, sustainability is the right thing to do, for our environment and our bottom line.”

It’s no coincidence that reducing energy use and dependence on fossil fuels play a large role in UC’s systemwide sustainability policies and its Working Smarter program to improve administrative efficiency. Three sustainability initiatives are among the Working Smarter projects that are projected to save $500 million per year when fully implemented:

• UC’s ambitious goal to become carbon neutral — zero-net emissions of greenhouse gases — cannot happen without aggressive energy efficiency and conservation efforts.
• In a pilot program, all UC campuses are moving some data servers — the energy intensive machines that run computer networks — to the San Diego Supercomputing Center to test the viability of a systemwide data center, which has great potential for energy and cost savings.
• UC is part of the Higher Education Energy Efficiency Partnership with the California State University system and the state’s four investor-owned utilities, which provide financing for efficiency projects. Coupled with a systemwide Strategic Energy Plan, UC saved $25 million on energy costs in fiscal 2010-11; when fully implemented, it’s estimated that annual cost savings will be $40 million a year.

UC adopted its first sustainability policy in 2003 and it has evolved to include mandates for cutting carbon emissions, energy efficiency, sustainable food service, use of renewable resources, recycling, waste reduction, water conservation and environmentally friendly construction methods.

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UC San Diego facility combines greenness with state-of-the-art treatment.

The exterior shiny metal louvers and heat-reflecting glass, combined with interior spaces sprinkled with modern art and low-wattage lights gives the newly opened UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center the lean and healthy crispness of a salad with non-fat dressing.

The final garnish, as cool as a slice of cucumber, is a circular etched-glass plaque from the U.S. Green Building Council in recognition of the center’s attainment of LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) “Gold” certification standards, the first hospital in San Diego County to achieve such a high rating. The center is the eighth UC San Diego building to achieve LEED certification, and 21 additional projects are expected to receive a minimum of LEED Silver certification.

“The LEED plaques have become standard in all our building projects, but they’re not decorative – they reflect the university’s commitment to energy savings, water efficiency, reduction of CO2 emissions and stewardship of our resources,” said Gary C. Matthews, UC San Diego’s vice chancellor for resource management and planning.

The 127,000-square-foot cardiovascular center’s mechanical and energy systems are designed for high efficiency and the building itself is constructed with environmentally friendly regional materials where possible. “We’re all thrilled to see how beautiful this green building, dedicated to patient care, research and education, turned out,” Matthews said.

The design of the Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center minimizes most patient movements. The center was designed to consolidate outpatient and inpatient cardiovascular services, accommodate the expected increase in demand for services, and prepare for more complex cases in Southern California’s booming population of seniors.

The new facility has grouped diagnostic cardiovascular services, interventional catheterization, and operating rooms under one roof to streamline the delivery of a full range of cardiac treatments. Patient wait times have been reduced with the more efficient use of space.

As part of the design process, RTKL Associates, the Los Angeles health care studio of a global architectural design firm chosen to design the project, built temporary mock-ups of rooms in an off-campus warehouse. UC San Diego physicians, nurses, donors, medical technologists and project managers visited the warehouse and offered suggestions to streamline efficiencies while increasing patient comfort.

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“I think it is really important for a health sciences campus to not just focus on the short term and the patient in front of you, but to also think about our own habits and lifestyle.”

UCSF Chancellor Sue Desmond-Hellmann often takes public transportation

UCSF has launched a new website focusing on the latest news and information about the University’s ongoing efforts toward environmental sustainability.

The UCSF Sustainability website is the product of the input of many across the campus and the medical center and its development was led by Gail Lee, sustainability manager at UCSF.

“We urge the UCSF community to get involved, stay informed, and take the pledge to support our goals to reduce our emissions, waste, and water and become more resource efficient,” Lee says.  “We hope that everyone can be a part of the global climate solution!”

The website features a story on UCSF Chancellor Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, who speaks about the importance of sustainability and puts those words into practice as she often takes public transportation instead of hopping in a car.

“I think it is really important for a health sciences campus to not just focus on the short term and the patient in front of you, but to also think about our own habits and lifestyle,” Desmond-Hellmann says. “The upside of commuting by public transit is that it can improve your quality of life and provide the opportunity to interact with people in a different way.”

An avid biker who got her first taste of commuting by public transportation when she was working at Genentech, Desmond-Hellmann is passionate about public transportation and praises its benefits. “While I give up some control, I enjoy not driving and I enjoy reading. I can use the time to throttle down and relax after work.” Read more here.

The University of California system, of which UCSF is a part, is committed to minimizing its impact on the environment.

In fact, the University of California has been recognized as a leader in its sustainability practices, gaining momentum and national recognition by expanding its sustainability policy, which was first adopted in July 2003.

UC’s Policy on Sustainable Practices includes guidelines and commitments in eight areas – operations and maintenance, purchasing, climate protection, energy procurement and generation, transportation, waste reduction, food systems, and green building design – making it one of the most ambitious and comprehensive institutional sustainability commitments in the nation.

For its part, UCSF’s sustainability efforts began as a staff initiative in 2004. Today, sustainability at UCSF has evolved into a program drawing in representatives from the campus and UCSF Medical Center.

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UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Children’s Hospital received a Partner for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth for integrating environmental responsibility into its operations.

Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the health care community committed to sustainable, eco-friendly practices.

The award, issued on May 12, recognizes health care facilities that have developed successful pollution prevention programs and recognizes outstanding environmental innovation in health care. UCSF is the first UC campus to achieve this sustainability award. In addition to giving UCSF the award, Practice Greenhealth will plant 100 trees in Haiti in UCSF’s honor.

David Odato, chief administrative and human resources officer of UCSF Medical Center and co-chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS), is pleased by the recognition.

“UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Children’s Hospital are committed to environmentally responsible operations for the health and safety of our patients,” he said. “I am proud of our commitment and the hard work of our staff and physicians who make UCSF Medical Center and the environment a healthy place for patients, visitors and employees.”

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Faculty, clinicians, staff and students will all benefit greatly by attending the 9th annual 2010 California Higher Education Sustainability Conference, June 20-23 at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. This year has an excellent track designed to benefit hospitals like yours. Hear from professionals who work in hospitals. See descriptions below. For more information, go to: http://2010higheredsustainabilityconference.org.

The conference will address the unique challenges of implementing sustainability practices into medical centers, hospitals, outpatient clinics and student health facilities through a series of five workshops in the health care track. Topics that will be addressed this year are:

• How you can achieve real savings and develop a safer workplace through efficient and responsible waste management, supply reuse, donation and  environmentally preferable purchasing.

• How to implement sustainability efforts in hospital dining facilities.

• How your organization can use existing organizational structure/committees to develop sustainability programs in a complex medical center.

• How implementing sustainability programs in a medical center has a synergistic benefit  for the work place environment, patient and staff safety,  emergency management, and increasing regulatory compliance.

Register now at http://2010higheredsustainabilityconference.org.

For more information, contact Matt St. Clair, UC Office of the President sustainability manager at (510) 287-3897 or Matthew.StClair@ucop.edu.

UCSF’s ongoing efforts to be more sustainable were honored on March 5 at a dedication ceremony celebrating the certification of the Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Hall as a LEED (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design) Silver building.

The certification is a prestigious and credible green seal of approval for sustainable buildings from the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED building rating system is the leading industry standard – measuring strategies that save energy, promote water efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions and improve indoor environmental quality, among other environmental impacts. From lowest to highest, the LEED rating system categories are certified, silver, gold and platinum.

“Rock Hall is unique because it is the first time UCSF has successfully operated an existing building to fulfill the LEED standards,” said UCSF Chancellor Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, who attended the certification ceremony at Mission Bay.

A typical laboratory is much more energy intensive than an office building, but Rock Hall integrates a range of green operating practices, including using more efficient water devices, implementing a green cleaning program, expanding the recycling program and enhancing indoor air quality measures.

By improving its environmental performance, Rock Hall has decreased annual electricity use costs by 5 percent and reduced water use by 25 percent—both of which add up to $100,000 in savings compared to a conventional building, according to Maric Munn, director of Facilities Management.

“UCSF is showing important leadership with this accomplishment,” said Matthew St. Clair, sustainability manager at the UC Office of the President. “Rock Hall is the first laboratory building in San Francisco to receive LEED for existing buildings certification, and one of the first lab buildings in the country to earn a silver certification.

“The certification of Rock Hall and efforts to build on this accomplishment by certifying several additional buildings make UCSF a leader in efficient, sustainable operations of its buildings both in the University of California system and among universities around the country,” St. Clair added.

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For University of California medical centers, St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t just a day to wear green. It was also a day to be green, serving sustainable meals as part of National Nutrition Month.

UC Irvine held a hospital wellness fair and its medical center dining room served lighter, heart-healthy versions of traditional St. Patrick’s Day food such as lean shepherd’s pie, potato leek soup and roasted zucchini with fresh herbs. UCLA Medical Center served Greek salad in its cafeteria.

All five UC medical centers are participating in National Nutrition Month activities in March, from serving healthier food to supplying vegetable seeds. National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign created by the American Dietetic Association to reinforce the importance of a healthy eating plan. This year’s theme is “Nutrition From the Ground Up.” This message also fits in with UC’s strengthened commitment to sustainability. In September, UC expanded its sustainability policy to include food service practices.

UC medical center dietetic interns and food service directors have scheduled activities and promotions to observe National Nutrition Month.

UC Davis is holding water bottle and exercise challenges as well as a “grow your own garden” theme where customers will receive a recipe for salsa and seeds to grow the vegetables in the recipe.

UC Irvine is running a reusable cup promotion, highlighting locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables, and offering a healthy meal of the day such as tofu stir fry with vegetables and brown rice.

UCLA is promoting high antioxidant foods such as gorgonzola salad, high fiber foods such as vegetarian chili and sustainable meats such as bison burgers. It’s also encouraging eating less meat through emphasizing the benefits of a diet higher in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and grains.

UC San Diego, which is renovating its Hillcrest cafeteria, is updating nutrition labels on some items and increasing its salad choices and heart-healthy menu options. On March 25, dietitians will staff tables at the cafes to answer questions, offer informational pamphlets and give out free pedometers.

UCSF launched a monthly newsletter, Moffitt Cafe Bites, and a seasonal recipe of the month, beginning with asparagus tofu stir fry. It’s also offering a discount on “smart choice” meals that are vegetarian or feature fish.

For more information, visit www.eatright.org or www.noharm.org/all_regions/issues/food.