Academy of Architecture for Health

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Join the AIA AAH on 5/12/2026 for a live and FREE course: "WELL Certification: Setting New Standards for a Healthier Tomorrow" - Earn 1 AIA LU HSW

  • 1.  Join the AIA AAH on 5/12/2026 for a live and FREE course: "WELL Certification: Setting New Standards for a Healthier Tomorrow" - Earn 1 AIA LU HSW

    Posted 6 hours ago

    Earn 1 AIA LU HSW | Tuesday, May 12th, 2026| 2-3 pm ET

    WELL Certification: Setting New Standards for a Healthier Tomorrow

    Description:

    When faced with an inefficient building that could no longer meet patient needs or provide required services, SSM Health set a new industry standard. The SSM Health Dean Medical Group's South Madison Campus is the largest healthcare facility in the United States and the first in Wisconsin to achieve WELL v2 Pilot GOLD Certification demonstrating a profound commitment to patient and employee health and wellbeing.  

    The 175,000-square-foot outpatient clinic consolidates over 18 specialty services, including oncology, orthopedics, and therapy, in a highly functional and sustainable building. The design emphasizes environmental stewardship, occupant health, and comfort, incorporating features such as natural daylight, views of nature, and air quality improvements. The building scored highly across all ten WELL Building Certification categories, including air, nourishment, light, and movement. With a focus on health at every level in both the design and operations, this clinic achieves industry leading wellbeing targets, exceeds Wisconsin's energy codes, and includes provisions for future expansions and operations. 

    This session will highlight design strategies that lead to achieving premier sustainability goals, such as WELL Building standards. Specifically, how the design at SSM Health Dean Medical Group's South Madison Campus has created healthier, more sustainable spaces for patients and staff. 

    Presented in partnership with the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health, an AIA Knowledge Community.

    Learning Objectives:

    1. Learn about how the principles of WELL Certification were applied to the largest healthcare facility in the United States to enhance the patient and employee health and well-being.
    2. Recognize how the incorporation of features such as natural daylight, views of nature, and air quality improvements were able to enhance environmental stewardship, occupant health, and overall comfort of the facility.
    3. Understand how meeting the WELL Building standards in the categories of air, nourishment, light, and movement ultimately exceeded Wisconsin's energy codes and created a more sustainable set of buildings. 
    4. Learn about how certain features from NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) and the 2022 FGI Guidelines were applied across a range of specialties such as oncology, orthopedics, and therapy, related to both the design and operational needs of building occupants.

    Speakers:

    Sara Kania, AIA

    Project Manager I HGA Architects

    Sara Kania

    Tim Scanley, AIA, NCARB

    Senior Designer I HGA Architects

    Tim Scanley

    Paul Widlarz, AIA

    Vice President, Principal I HGA Architects

    Paul Widlarz

    Moderator:

    Mike Brasser, MBA

    Vice President of National Healthcare, The Boldt Company

    Mike Brasser


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    Thomas Bahr
    AIA, NCARB, EDAC, WELL AP, LEED AP BD+C, LSSYB
    Principal
    BSA LifeStructures
    Saint Louis, MO
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