Community-Centric at Heart
Community Stewardship
The development of this medical center will not just greatly extend our ability to provide care; it will also create construction and staffing jobs as well as provide a space for the community to focus on complete well-being – mind, body and soul. It is our hope that North Campus will become a hub for social, recreational, cultural and educational programs, with the medical center as a vibrant centerpiece and constant reminder of Orange County’s commitment to high-quality, environmentally friendly healthcare.
Once up and running, the expansion will bring an influx of skilled medical professionals to the region, including physicians, nurses and other care team members. The facility is also expected to provide new corporate vendor and partnership opportunities for Orange County-based businesses, and, as an added bonus, it will relieve traffic congestion in the area through the addition of two eastbound right-turn deceleration lanes on Jamboree Road at Birch Street and a westbound left-turn lane at the Jamboree Road and Birch Street intersection.
Environmental Stewardship
In tandem with our commitment to the community, maintaining the health of Orange County’s environment is and will always be a top priority. UCI is proud of its status as a national leader in environmental research and education and takes sustainability efforts extremely seriously. Each of our capital building projects goes through an extensive environmental impact review, which provides a report for public comment and suggestions. We have taken numerous steps to ensure that North Campus doesn’t cause a negative impact on the environment, including prioritizing sustainability, working closely with Native American leaders on how best to respect sacred tribal lands and uphold the cultural integrity of the property, and choosing not to build on the San Joaquin Marsh.
When planning the development of the medical center, we immediately recognized the importance of the marsh, the wildlife it supports and its value to academia, research and the community. We worked with faculty and staff biologists from UCI as well as community-based experts to ensure that we were properly protecting the habitat and watershed. To avoid causing disruption, we established a 150-foot biological buffer between the proposed buildings and the marsh, and we are committed to the long-term management, enhancement and protection of the San Joaquin Marsh Reserve under the leadership of UCI scientists and stewardship of the University of California’s Natural Reserve System. The marsh will continue to serve as a protected site for teaching and research with the oversight of UCI Nature, under the UCI Office of Research. To expand access, the development of North Campus will create walking paths and trails near the marsh that will allow students, patients and the community to gather and discover nature’s beauty, tranquility and healing effects.
Sustainability is also at the heart of the medical center’s design. UCI currently has 20 LEED Platinum and 10 LEED Gold buildings among the most LEED Platinum and Gold buildings for new construction at any U.S. college campus. The University of California is committed to responsible stewardship of resources demonstrating leadership in sustainable business practices.
As such, the heating and cooling system will be fully electric, served by UC green power rather than traditional fossil fuel combustion systems. Freshwater will be saved by using recycled water in the central utility plant. We’ve worked tirelessly to ensure that this expansion will result in significant energy savings, construction waste reduction, recycled material use and water conservation. North Campus will add to UCI’s growing portfolio of electrified buildings and set a new standard in sustainable, environmentally conscious healthcare design.
All stages of project planning and construction on the North Campus site will meet or exceed the 2019 UC Sustainable Practices Policy goals and ensure stewardship of the natural environment surrounding the complex. In accordance with California Environmental Quality Act guidelines and UC guidelines for the implementation of CEQA, an initial study by UCI found that the project will have little impact on the environment.
Opportunities to Engage
Through our community and government relations work, we keep our city and county leaders abreast of our plans. We’re more than happy to meet with groups that would like more information about North Campus and how it will impact and serve our community. Please contact our team at communications@uci.edu if you are interested.
