UCI Medical Center Irvine

About this Project

UCI Medical Center a landmark, approximately $1.3 billion medical complex located on the northern edge of the UC Irvine academic campus, adjacent to the San Joaquin Marsh Reserve. The campus is approximately 1.2 million square feet, including a 144-bed acute care hospital, the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care Center (ACC), a central utility plant (CUP) and a parking building (PB)

Delivered through progressive design-build, the project integrates advanced healthcare, innovative engineering and sustainable design to expand access to specialized medical services across Orange County. ACC opened to patients in July 2024 and the hospital welcomed its first patients in December 2025.

Design and Engineering Innovations:

• Sustainable healthcare: The nation's first all-electric acute care hospital integrates heat pumps, thermal energy recovery, solar generation and centralized utility infrastructure.
• High-performance sustainability: The acute care hospital achieved LEED Platinum certification, and the ACC achieved LEED Gold certification, recognizing the project's commitment to energy efficiency and sustainable building design.
• Innovative clinical planning: A 56,000-square-foot surgical megafloor connects inpatient and outpatient operating rooms, supported by virtual modeling and operational simulation to refine clinical workflows.
• Nature-responsive architecture: High-performance glazing, solar shading and bird-friendly façade features respond to the adjacent San Joaquin Marsh Reserve while supporting energy efficiency and a healing environment.

Project Execution and Management:

UCI Design & Construction Services (D&CS) provided owner leadership throughout project delivery, coordinating institutional priorities, clinical stakeholders, design professionals, engineers, trade partners and regulatory agencies.

Under D&CS's project management leadership, the medical campus was delivered on schedule and within the approved budget, reflecting disciplined cost control, schedule management, proactive risk mitigation and coordinated decision-making.

The progressive design-build approach enabled early collaboration, iterative cost development, competitive trade procurement and constructability reviews to support informed decisions and schedule discipline. Clinical mockups and early regulatory coordination helped integrate specialized healthcare requirements into the design and construction process.

The project received a 2026 DBIA National Award of Merit for Healthcare Facilities, recognizing the team's integrated delivery approach and project outcomes.