Partners in community
There is nothing more important to us than protecting the health and well-being of our Orange County community. As a major research university and academic health system, we feel it is our duty to evolve with the safety of our community and the health of our environment top of mind.
UCI currently operates the region’s only academic medical center, health system and comprehensive college of health sciences, which includes nationally recognized schools of medicine, nursing and pharmacy, along with a program in public health. With the addition of the new medical and health centers, we will be able to offer the Orange County community access to life-enhancing therapies, advanced innovations, leading experts and complex procedures. The expansion will also allow us to provide unique services not found in the local community, such as the UCI Health Center for Advanced Care, the Center for Children’s Health, a nationally designated cancer center and an integrative, evidence-based approach to personalized patient care. Additionally, it will provide urgent and emergency care, adult specialties and offices devoted to oncology, neurosciences, orthopaedics, and spine and digestive health.
As Orange County’s population rises at a double-digit pace over the next four decades, with nearly 30 percent growth in those over the age of 65, who need healthcare most, the new medical center will ensure that we are ahead of the curve and prepared to provide the highest standard of care to our ever-growing community.
Throughout the north campus expansion in Irvine, it is our mission to care for and respect the land, keeping the wellness of Orange County a top priority. All stages of project planning and construction will meet or exceed the 2019 UC Sustainable Practices Policy goals, and facilities will meet or exceed LEED Silver equivalency and the California Green Building Standards Code. Sustainability features in our newest facility include low-water-demand plantings and recycled water for irrigation, high-performance glazing and building insulation, high-efficiency lighting and air conditioning, recycled water for cooling towers, high-efficiency pumps and heat recovery chillers. The heating and cooling system will be fully electric and served by UC green power, not by traditional fossil fuel combustion systems. Precious freshwater will be saved by using recycled water in the central utility plant. These features will help us reach an overall energy efficiency that exceeds California Title 24 criteria by at least 20 percent.
