The new home of Drexel’s College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Professionals totals 12 stories—with a MEP penthouse that spans two more levels—and totals 494,688 sq ft. Inside are 178,500 sq ft of classroom space, 98,700 sq ft of office/support space and 87,000 sq ft of lab/simulation space.

Several tools and strategies help the building reduce its carbon footprint to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver certification. Building systems are designed to reduce energy usage by 40% and fossil fuel emissions by more than 60% compared with a typical code-compliant building. Optimized heating and cooling systems work in sync with the building’s envelope, insulation and lighting systems, while heat generated by occupants and equipment is reused to pre-warm clean outdoor air.

An intensified focus on long lead times kept the project on track for completion in just under two years. The project team bypassed vendors and called suppliers directly, regularly tracking all items and incorporating more site progress visits than normal to maintain the schedule.