Leanora Paniccia

As healthcare design advances beyond minimizing harm, sustainability is evolving toward a holistic and systems-based, regenerative design approach. This session will introduce regenerative design as a framework that aligns with healthcare’s core mission to “do no harm” while actively supporting both human and ecological well-being.  Through case studies, the presenters will explore the varying impacts of regenerative design – for people, place, and buildings – to examine how healthcare campuses can position themselves as active contributors to resilient, thriving environments.

As healthcare institutions increasingly face pressures around financial investment, patient well-being, and staff retention, this session will present scalable strategies to guide planning, design, and investment decisions around holistic well-being. Grounded in biophilic principles, the speakers will examine the measurable benefits of nature-connected design on patient healing, staff wellness, and community health. This session will also highlight performance metrics used to evaluate regenerative outcomes and demonstrate how design strategies such as biodiversity enhancement, adaptive reuse, context-based campus planning, and strengthened community connections can contribute to long-term resilience.

Attendees will learn how to integrate regenerative thinking into healthcare planning and design across multiple scales, from buildings to campuses and communities, while considering  long-term adaptability to climate and environmental change.

IU Health is transforming the delivery of care in Indiana through its new 44‑acre academic health campus in downtown Indianapolis. Anchored by a 2.6‑million‑square‑foot, 864‑bed hospital, the project reimagines how healthcare facilities can advance clinical excellence, operational efficiency, and long‑term environmental resilience.

This session explores how the health system and design partners translated organizational mission, community engagement, and sustainability goals into an integrated, future‑ready campus. Attendees will gain insight into planning strategies that prioritize patient‑ and family‑centered care, flexible clinical platforms, and technology‑enabled workflows.

The presentation also highlights sustainability drivers including: LEED v4 Silver, SITES v2, EnergyStar 75, and ASHRAE 189.3 and how they shaped design decisions for the hospital, Central Utility Plant, and South Support Building. Through the lens of an owner–designer partnership, speakers will share lessons learned on navigating complexities of scale, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, and aligning design with long‑range operational realities.

Participants will leave with actionable strategies for applying integrated planning, sustainability frameworks, and mission‑driven decision‑making to large healthcare projects, as well as insights directly transferable to projects of all sizes.