Recognized with a Two Green Globes certification, the Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Daytona Beach demonstrates how thoughtful design can advance sustainability, patient comfort, and operational efficiency in healthcare settings.
The 130,000-square-foot, single-story facility incorporates a wide range of sustainability strategies for healthy, high-performance environments that support the VA’s mission to enhance quality of life for veterans.
Design
The interior design of the facility supports a healing and community building environment through regional and sustainable materials, natural imagery, and intuitive wayfinding. Carefully curated palettes and furnishings inspired by nature create inviting and calming spaces that balance comfort, durability, and sophistication.
The project also incorporates architectural and material strategies that enhance occupant wellness and environmental performance, including:
- Skylights to diffuse natural light into larger team working rooms.
- Hurricane-rated, thermally broken storefront and curtainwall systems glazed with insulated low-E glass to enhance natural light penetration while reducing glare and solar heat gain.
- A white, fully adhered TPO roofing membrane complemented by pre-finished metal panels and trim for canopies and equipment screens.
- Materials selected to adhere to Green Globes standards, incorporating recycled content and minimizing life cycle costs.
The Space
The goal was to integrate the outdoor spaces to foster connections with nature and promote holistic healing environments. Leveraging green spaces and benches around the facility enhances accessibility and connectivity to pedestrian pathways, creating a seamless blend between interior and exterior spaces.
Materials Used
Material selection was pivotal to the project’s sustainability objectives. Concrete tilt-up panels, metal cladding, and aluminum storefront and curtainwall systems contribute to a modern aesthetic while offering durability and requiring minimal maintenance. These features combined with continuous rigid insulation and air barriers optimize energy efficiency and thermal performance.
“Green Globes certification has empowered Oculus Inc. to foster a culture of sustainability, especially regarding the Daytona, FL VA clinic project. It has also encouraged collaboration across disciplines and highlighted the value of early integration of sustainable practices. This project is a testament to how proactive sustainability measures can positively impact environmental stewardship and operational efficiency.” – Celine Khashram, EDAC, Designer with Oculus Inc.
“We found the Green Globes assessment process enlightening and beneficial to our completed construction project. It guided us through a comprehensive evaluation of our sustainable practices, ensuring alignment with industry standards and best practices. The structured approach of the assessment process helped us systematically integrate sustainable design principles from the project’s beginning to completion.” – Jim Stotlar, AIA, LEED Associate, GGP, serves as the healthcare & government co-director for Oculus Inc.
The Green Globes assessment helped spark new ideas and refine Oculus’ sustainability strategies, particularly around material selection and operational practices – with an emphasis on maximizing natural lighting and improving indoor air quality. It also provided a framework for Oculus to understand how design decisions aligned with the VA’s broader sustainability goals. For example, incorporating translucent skylights in the teamwork areas supported objectives around daylighting and patient wellbeing.
Following construction, the team conducted a thorough assessment of the facility prior to VA occupancy, ensuring that sustainability strategies were effectively implemented and contributed to the project’s overall success.
Earning Green Globes Certification
Oculus applied insights from previous Green Globes projects to streamline sustainable design and construction, strengthening both their commitment to and ability to deliver high-performance projects.
The Green Globes Final Assessment Report and recommendations will serve as a valuable roadmap to optimize energy efficiency, improve occupant comfort, and refine sustainability initiatives for all future projects. “We aim to exceed current standards and establish new benchmarks for future healthcare facility projects,” said Stotlar.
Several key sustainability strategies contributed to the building’s Green Globes certification, including maximizing natural light and incorporating green spaces, which improved occupant well-being and reduced energy demand. The selection of durable, low-maintenance materials with high recycled content aligns with Green Globes’ criteria and contributes to the long-term efficiency and resilience of the facility.
Monitoring key operational metrics post-occupancy reflects the clinic’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement. Early assessment data indicated significant reductions in energy consumption compared to industry benchmarks, validating the effectiveness of its sustainable design strategies. Oculus plans to continue to collect and analyze performance data to further optimize the clinics operations.
The integration of advanced HVAC systems was a pivotal factor in achieving Green Globes certification. These systems created a healthier indoor environment for the clinic, directly impacting the well-being of veterans, visitors, and staff; an outcome aligned with both Green Globes standards and Oculus’ objectives.
Lastly, the clinic’s integration of green spaces – including trees, native plants, and reclaimed water irrigation – fosters a healing environment and allows the VA to connect their patients to nature. Driven by the Green Globes certification process, this thoughtfully designed and well-maintained facility directly supports better health outcomes for the veterans it serves.
