Beyond the blueprint: A new kind of hospital

When the first patients arrived at UCI Health - Irvine during its Dec. 10 opening, they stepped into a new standard for American healthcare: a seven-story, 144-bed acute care hospital that is both part of the region's only academic health system and the nation's first all-electric acute care hospital.

Tucked along the edge of the 300-acre San Joaquin Marsh Reserve, it brings together cutting-edge medicine; flexible surgical and intensive care spaces; a chef-inspired, culturally attuned menu; and a tranquil setting framed by native habitat and views of Saddleback Mountain.

"UCI Health - Irvine embodies what it means to be a modern public research university," says UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman. "We are extending world-class, research-driven care into the community in a way that is compassionate, forward-looking and deeply rooted in this place we call home."

Orange County's only academic health system

UCI Health is Orange County's only academic health system, powered by UC Irvine's world-class public research university. Working across disciplines, our physicians and teams turn discovery into impact for the more than 5.6 million people we serve, giving patients access to clinical trials, advanced therapies and multidisciplinary expertise available solely at an academic medical center.

The four schools in the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences - in the areas of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, and population and public health - along with its centers and institutes of health, operate under a shared tripartite mission: Discover. Teach. Heal.

Together, they form a collaborative ecosystem that places the whole person at the center of care. This model emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, continuous quality improvement, and a unified cycle between discovery and clinical impact - a level of integration unmatched in Orange County and achieved by only a few health systems nationwide.

For residents of coastal and south Orange County, the new campus closes a long-standing gap in local access to academic medicine, bringing specialized care - from complex surgery to cancer treatment - closer to where people live and work.

"What makes our mission unique is the seamless integration of research, education and clinical care across health sciences schools, the research centers and the UCI Health delivery system," says Dr. Steve Goldstein, vice chancellor for health affairs. "Collaboration is our greatest strength. We have created an environment where discoveries move from the lab to the bedside faster, where teams see and treat the whole person, and where future healthcare leaders learn to advance health and lifelong well-being with curiosity, compassion and purpose. This synergy is transformative for health outcomes, equity and the communities we serve."

Nature as part of the care team

From the earliest sketches, planners set out to make the hospital feel different the moment you arrive. UCI Health - Irvine sits beside the San Joaquin Marsh Reserve, a lush wetlands reserve that hosts more than 200 bird species along the Pacific Flyway. Patient rooms, collaboration spaces and public areas are oriented to capture those views, as well as the distant outline of the Santiago and Modjeska peaks of the Santa Ana Mountains.

Inside, abundant natural light, calming colors and quiet alarms are paired with outdoor terraces, shaded walkways and healing gardens that invite patients, families and employees to step outside.

Because of the hospital's location next to a sensitive habitat, the design team built in protections for wildlife, including:

• Avian-safe glass patterns and facade strategies that reduce reflections and help prevent bird strikes
• A low "turtle wall" barrier and native plant buffer to guide turtles and other species away from the medical campus and keep stormwater clean before it reaches the marsh
• A stormwater capture network that feeds into a biofiltration system to clean runoff before it reaches the reserve, ensuring a healthy marsh habitat
• A 150-foot plant buffer between the marsh and the medical center consisting of native plant species grown from seeds harvested from the immediate marsh area

"We decided early on that we would not turn our back on the San Joaquin Marsh Reserve," says Brian Pratt, associate vice chancellor for design and construction services and the campus architect. "Instead, we embraced it as a defining feature of the medical campus. The marsh is not just a backdrop - it's a living ecosystem that reflects our commitment to sustainability, wellness and healing. By weaving its natural beauty into the fabric of UCI Health - Irvine, we create an environment where patients, caregivers and students can connect with nature, reduce stress and experience care in a setting that promotes whole-person health. This integration is unique because it transforms a medical campus into a restorative space, aligning with our mission to advance health in harmony with the environment."

America's first all-electric acute care hospital

UCI Health - Irvine is making national history as the first all-electric acute care hospital in the United States. Instead of relying on natural gas, an all-electric central utility plant provides heating, cooling and hot water, supported by on-site solar and a highly efficient building envelope.

As UC Irvine is recognized as one of the "greenest" universities in North America, the decision to innovate is no surprise.

The healthcare sector accounts for 8.5 percent of all carbon emissions, and hospitals are major contributors due to their reliance on fossil fuels like natural gas. UCI Health wanted to eliminate carbon-based fuels entirely for normal operations, conforming to the University of California's systemwide goal to slash carbon emissions by 90 percent by 2045.

The hospital uses 100 percent clean electricity, sourced from renewable energy programs and supplemented by solar panels installed on parking structures and rooftops. Additional sustainable features include rainwater collection, recycled water systems and energy-saving equipment throughout the facility.

Engineers created a central utility plant that operates solely on electricity and recycles heat from hospital operations to warm the building and water, reducing waste and improving efficiency.

This required starting from scratch, as no all-electric hospital of this scale had ever been built. The configuration minimizes environmental impact on the surrounding San Joaquin Marsh Reserve, reinforcing UCI Health's mission to deliver world-class care while protecting local ecosystems.

"Building UCI Health - Irvine as an all-electric hospital was a bold, values-driven decision," says Chad T. Lefteris, president and CEO of UCI Health. "Hospitals are among the highest carbon emitters in the built environment, and we knew we could do better. By eliminating fossil fuels and embracing clean energy, we're setting a new standard for sustainability in healthcare - one that protects our patients, our community and our planet. This is more than reducing emissions. It's about creating a healing environment that reflects who we are and shapes the future of medicine."

UCI Health president and CEO Chad T. Lefteris greets a therapy dog at a Nov. 15 open house for the new hospital at UCI Health - Irvine. Photo: UCI Health.

Designed around the patient journey and the care team

Every step of the hospital design reflects a simple idea: Caring for the community starts with caring for patients and the healthcare employees who serve them.

On the main level, a 24-hour emergency department with 20 treatment rooms sits close to the arrival plaza and parking, so patients can access care quickly. Just steps away, advanced imaging - including CT scanners that capture detailed images in seconds and AI-enabled MRI suites - speeds diagnosis for stroke, trauma and other time-sensitive conditions.

The layout reduces unnecessary backtracking for nurses, physicians and technicians. Short, direct routes among the emergency department, imaging services, operating rooms and inpatient units support safer, faster care and a better daily experience for the teams who work here.

Upstairs, the 144 inpatient beds are configured to allow patients the right level of care to help them recover more quickly. Rooms are large and filled with natural light, with family space and smart technology that lets patients communicate with their care team, learn about their treatment and order meals from bed.

Even the food is part of the healing plan. A chef-inspired menu is designed for health, taste and the cultural palette of our region, with comforting options like pho and bibimbap alongside healing recipes such as golden milk and other soothing, anti-inflammatory dishes. The goal is to make every meal feel like an extension of care, not an afterthought on the tray.

UCI Health - Irvine was developed with its employees in mind. In addition to private work areas, each floor includes dedicated break lounges and "lavender rooms" - calm, quiet environments for moments of reflection or recharge. A workers-only third floor provides added wellness features, including physician on-call rooms and space for collaboration and learning. Staff can also order meals ahead of time from the second-floor cafe, streamlining breaks without sacrificing healthy dining options.

Small architectural decisions also matter:

• Bathroom thresholds are as smooth and low as possible, recognizing that many patients move with IV poles, walkers or other equipment and may be unsteady on their feet.
• Clear sightlines and decentralized workstations let nurses stay close to patients while still able to collaborate with colleagues.

These details add up to something bigger: a hospital that feels friendlier, more intuitive and more humane on even the busiest days.

A surgical 'megafloor' the length of three football fields

Beneath the hospital and the adjacent Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center & Ambulatory Care building is one of UCI Health - Irvine's most innovative spaces: a garden-level surgical "megafloor" that spans the width of nearly three football fields.

By connecting inpatient and outpatient surgery on a single floor, the megafloor brings together:

• 15 standard operating rooms
• five interventional procedure rooms
• four advanced multispecialty interventional suites
• 64 pre-op and recovery beds with views of the marsh

The configuration lets patients easily move between outpatient and inpatient settings, while a central "sterile core" and carefully orchestrated flow keep instruments, supplies and healthcare workers exactly where they're needed.

The hospital is also engineered for what can't be predicted. Infrastructure throughout the facility enables inpatient beds to flex up to intensive-level care in an emergency, and the surgical platform can accommodate major surges or disaster response, informed by lessons from wildfires, earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've built a hospital that performs beautifully on a typical day, but it's also ready to adapt when it matters most," Lefteris says. "From pandemics to wildfires, we know healthcare has to be nimble. This facility was designed with that future in mind."

A seamless campus: From clinic visit to hospital stay to home again

UCI Health - Irvine anchors a full medical campus that also includes the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care and the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center & Ambulatory Care building.

A patient might start with a specialty clinic visit at the Wen Center, take a short walk through a central roundabout to receive advanced imaging or cancer treatment at the Chao Center and, when needed, move across a corridor into the hospital for surgery or an inpatient stay - all without leaving the campus.

Getting there, and getting home, has been thought through as carefully as what happens inside:

• Two main parking structures offer simple, direct paths to entrances.
• Clear directions greet patients at the arrival plaza.
• A lower-level patient discharge and pickup area offers privacy and weather protection.

"A hospital stay can be overwhelming. At UCI Health - Irvine, we've designed every detail to make it easier," Lefteris says. "From seamless transitions between clinics and imaging to private, calming spaces for families, this campus is built to support healing every step of the way."

Created for today's patients and tomorrow's medicine

UCI Health - Irvine is more than a new hospital. It's a visible expression of UC Irvine's long-range vision for health, sustainability and community impact. As the university continues to evolve to meet the needs of a community in continuous transformation, this medical complex demonstrates how thoughtful growth can expand access to care while respecting the environment and strengthening the region.

"Of all the things we do and all the myriad ways we serve, none are more important than the activities of our academic medical centers," Gillman says. "Our work in human health and medicine has a profound and immediate effect on the people in the communities around us. People come to us when they are at their most vulnerable; they turn to us to make their lives better. And the outcomes of our efforts have the greatest effect on those lives."