The University of Florida continues to build on its culture of excellence. Recently, it achieved a significant milestone: its centennial Green Building Certification while becoming the first higher education institution in the country to earn a WELL Certification Platinum.
“Congratulations to the Student Health Care Center at the University of Florida for becoming the first WELL Certified building at Platinum level across higher education in the United States, said Kimberly Lewis Inkumsah, EVP of Equity, Engagement and Events at the International WELL Building Institute. “This extraordinary health leadership by the University of Florida truly benefits the students who are the most in need for wellness support. The SHCC WELL project exemplifies how intentional strategies in our built environment can nurture our well-being.”
The Student Health Care Center (SHCC) played a pivotal role in this achievement, participating in the International WELL Building Institute’s WELL certification program. This program is dedicated to creating spaces that foster the health and well-being of building occupants, ensuring a safer and healthier environment for all. This is the first time UF has engaged in this program, and the project was honored with WELL Certification at the Platinum level. This prestigious recognition is the highest level of accreditation, and UF is the sole higher education institution in the United States to have earned this distinction for a project.
“Dedicated to optimizing health and wellness for our patients and staff, the Student Health Care Center invested in WELL to improve patient care for our students,” said Jocelyn Gravlee, MD, Director of the Student Health Care Center. “With approximately 62,000 patient visits each year, WELL elements such as clean air, purified water, and natural light enhance the well-being of everyone in our building. Additionally, focusing on the health and wellness of our staff is a crucial component in delivering high-quality health care to our patients.”
The SHCC facility was designed during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide the best possible health and wellness services to all students on campus. The WELL healthy building program uses evidence-based research to establish minimum quality standards for a healthy indoor environment. Furthermore, the program requires on-site performance testing to ensure standards are met. Other requirements include policies encouraging healthy eating, health education, routine ergonomic assessments, and active features to incorporate movement throughout the day. The design maximizes daylight throughout the building with abundant windows, emphasizes outdoor engagement through a rooftop garden to emphasis access to nature, and incorporates sound-masking technology to minimize acoustic distractions while increasing patient privacy.
“The University continues to invest in educational excellence by providing an ideal learning environment,” said Dustin Stephany, UF’s Sustainable Building Coordinator. “This third-party verification is evidence of UF’s commitment to students’ health, comfort, and well-being while on campus.”
What is WELL Building Standard?
The WELL Building Standard (WELL) is the world’s leading framework for scaling health across buildings, organizations and communities. Developed over 10 years and backed by the latest scientific research, WELL outlines key building-level interventions and organizational strategies across 10 categories: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community. WELL, a performance-based and third-party verified system, supports organizations in their leadership efforts to advance human health and foster a culture of health and well-being.
What is a green building?
Green building is designing and constructing a building that prioritizes environmental responsibility, biodiversity, resource efficiency, and occupant health and well-being throughout the build’s life cycle. Green buildings participate in third-party verification programs that utilize building scientists to holistically vet the building’s environmental, economic, and social benefits. UF uses several green building certification programs based on a project’s overall scope and sustainability goals. Though most green buildings on campus utilize the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, each green building program prioritizes holistic strategies to maximize long-term benefits.
As we celebrate the University’s 100th green building achievement, we reflect on UF’s pioneering steps towards sustainability in the built environment, which began with the design and construction of Rinker Hall. The Rinker Hall project marked a significant milestone by becoming Florida’s first LEED Gold-certified building in 2004.
Over the past two decades, UF has emerged as a leader in sustainable construction, earning more green building certifications than any other public higher education institution.
“UF takes pride in its unwavering commitment to sustainable development practices on campus. “This legacy of environmental stewardship establishes the infrastructure for future initiatives and endeavors,” Stephany said.
Please visit UF’s Sustainability and the Built Environment webpage for more information.
About the University of Florida
The University of Florida attracts the best and brightest students, staff and faculty, places them together and connects them with world-class resources to spark extraordinary discoveries and innovations. UF’s momentum is reflected in the university’s designation as a No. 1 public university in the country by the Wall Street Journal. Artificial intelligence is a centerpiece at UF, spanning all disciplines so that every student has the opportunity to acquire competence and expertise in AI. The University of Florida is a place where limitless potential meets boundless opportunity through teaching, research, scholarship and service to the state, the nation and the world.
Media Contact: Jenna Allanson (marketing@shcc.ufl.edu)