UCI Health-Irvine Opens the Nation’s First All-Electric Hospital

The health care sector reached a major milestone this month with the opening of the nation’s first all-electric acute care hospital. UCI Health-Irvine, a new 144-bed facility, officially opened its doors on Dec. 10, setting a new sustainability benchmark for U.S. hospitals.

The seven-story hospital was designed from the ground up to operate entirely on electricity, with no natural gas infrastructure. All power is supplied through on-site solar generation and other sustainable sources, supported by water recycling and a range of energy-efficient building systems. The goal: to reduce the hospital’s carbon footprint dramatically without compromising clinical performance.

Beyond its environmental innovation, UCI Health-Irvine delivers a full complement of advanced services, including a 24/7 emergency department, advanced imaging, interventional radiology and catheterization labs, bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy, cardiology and epilepsy monitoring, along with comprehensive inpatient and outpatient pharmacy, lab and pathology services.

Patient experience is also a central focus. Private rooms average 250 square feet, with abundant natural light, smart TVs and access to outdoor terraces and gardens. Furnishings and finishes were selected that are free of harmful chemicals, and the hospital’s kitchen is among the first fully electric hospital kitchens in the nation.

For health system leaders, UCI Health-Irvine represents more than a new facility: It offers a real-world model for sustainable hospital design at scale. As hospitals confront rising energy costs and mounting pressure to reduce emissions, the all-electric model may signal a viable path forward that aligns clinical excellence, patient comfort and environmental responsibility.