New Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion at Cedars-Sinai Awarded LEED Gold Certification

The new home of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, neurosciences programs and stem cell research, the Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion, has been awarded LEED^® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) 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 only a handful of healthcare facilities nationwide to receive the LEED Gold level of certification. It was achieved by meeting or exceeding five strategic elements of sustainability, including energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, water efficiency, indoor environment quality and overall sustainability that minimizes the impact on ecosystems and natural resources.

“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.”

Designed by architecture firm HOK and constructed by Hathaway Dinwiddie, 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 an innovative double-paned 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 to 600 patients each day and houses outpatient services for the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, neurosciences (Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neurology), Regenerative Medicine Institute and other clinical specialties, as well as the outpatient Sue and Bill Gross Surgery and Procedure Center. The building’s 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.

“Attaining LEED certification is especially challenging for healthcare facilities, given the 24/7 demand on all their systems,” said Ernest Cirangle, design principal at HOK. “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.”