Improving Holistic Human Health Outcomes: Lehigh University College of Health

Best in Building HealthHealthy Building ProfilesStrategies & Solutions
Written By Marcos Reynaga

AT A GLANCE

Award:

 

Highest Scoring Design Project

Project: Lehigh University Health Science Technology Building, Bethlehem, PA

Owner: Lehigh University

Architect and Lab Planner: HGA

MEP/FP and Sustainability Consultant: Vanderweil Engineers

We’re proud to congratulate Lehigh University’s Health, Science & Technology Building (HST) as one of this year’s Best in Building Health winners! This innovative building is the administrative home of Lehigh University's new College of Health where it supports public health research, chemistry, materials science, and biological science. HGA and Vanderweil Engineers recognized an opportunity to unify the school's mission and values through a people-centered design, resulting in a health-promoting learning environment for the next generation of health science experts.

Hear directly from the project team and learn more about how they turned this vision into a reality.

What Fitwel strategies did you use to achieve your goals?

Samir Srouji, Principal, HGA

Samir Srouji
Principal, HGA

SS: From the first project meeting, the team from Lehigh, HGA, and Vanderweil, established sustainability, wellness, and human-centric design goals to support the new College of Health. Our holistic approach to design integrates sustainability, resilience, research, and equity. HST incorporates active design with prominent stairwells at the center of the floorplate that encourages occupants to use the stairs when traveling between floors, contributing to increased daily physical activity.

Patrick Murphy, Director of Sustainable Design, Vanderweil Engineers

Patrick Murphy
Director of Sustainable Design, Vanderweil Engineers

PM: The overall building design emphasis on public health and well-being is demonstrated through biophilic design, walkability, access to natural daylight, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort. The mechanical systems feature chilled beams, radiant heating, and local temperature controls that provide a stable environment for research, while maximizing energy efficiency, ventilation control, and thermal comfort for building occupants.

Distribution of Goal Achievement by Asset Type analysis chart. Imagery and graphics are illustrative only and are subject to change.

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Joe Klocek, Director of Planning, Design and Construction, Lehigh University

Joe Klocek
Director of Planning, Design and Construction, Lehigh University

How has Fitwel certification impacted the students and employees of HST?
JK: Being certified as a Fitwel building creates a mindfulness about environmental health and wellness and indicates to users that the University is invested in promoting strategies that provide the opportunity for a healthy environment.

What does being Best in Building Health mean to Lehigh?
JK: Lehigh is honored to be recognized for our efforts to make the HST building a leading example of healthy building practices. Being recognized speaks volumes for all of the people who dedicated time and planning effort to create an environment meant to promote health and wellness for occupants and visitors.

About Lehigh University College of Health
Lehigh University is one of the nation's most distinguished private research universities. Through academic rigor, an entrepreneurial mindset, and collaborative opportunities we challenge our students to become the leaders of the future. Lehigh’s College of Health is a leader in improving human health outcomes through interdisciplinary studies and research in population and community health and health innovation and technology. Our students take compassion beyond the classroom and into communities. lehigh.edu

About HGA Architects
HGA is an acclaimed interdisciplinary design firm committed to making a positive, lasting impact for our clients and communities through research-based, holistic solutions. We believe that great design requires a sense of curiosity—forming deep insight into our clients, their contexts, and the human condition. We are a collective of over 1,000 architects, engineers, interior designers, planners, researchers, and strategists, with 12 offices. Our national practice spans multiple markets, including healthcare, corporate, cultural, education, local and federal government, and science and technology. hga.com

About Vanderweil Engineers
Vanderweil Engineers is an MEP/FP engineering, sustainability consulting, technology design, and power engineering firm. Its team of 450+ professionals is headquartered in Boston, MA with ten total office locations across the country. While Vanderweil has delivered solutions across a diverse range of technically complex markets since 1950, sustainability is central to all its efforts—a commitment that has allowed the firm to achieve sustainable certifications on 225+ projects. vanderweil.com

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Marcos Reynaga
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