Aug 13, 2026 12:00PM—1:00PM
Location: Virtual
Cost: $0.00
Event Contact: Twyla Neely-Streit | Email
Continuing Education: Submitted for AIA CES Credit; Eligible to self-report to GBCI for 1 CE hr.
Health-Positive Design in Practice: Inside DuPage County's Crisis Recovery Center
Join Illinois Green for a virtual education session that explores what health-positive design looks like in practice, exemplified by the DuPage County Department of Public Health's recently opened Crisis Recovery Center (CRC) in Wheaton, IL. This session convenes the owner, design principal, and sustainability champion behind the project to share how they did it. The facility is one of a kind in the state, supporting residents experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises by providing the full continuum of behavioral health crisis services as an alternative to emergency department and law enforcement interventions.
The design team embraced that mission of health and wellness from the start, pursuing WELL Building Standard certification, combining strong energy performance with biophilic design and an emphasis on indoor environmental quality. They delivered an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of 76.2 kBTU/sqft-yr, approximately 65% below the AIA 2030 commitment baseline, improved daylight, views, implemented bird-safe glass, and strategically designed the building's materials and color palette to support the health and wellness of everyone inside.
Together, we'll explore the project and its mission, how the facility benefits the community, the design process, the benefits of biophilic design, energy efficiency, material considerations, health and wellness, and the pursuit of WELL certification.
Learning Objectives:
- Apply strategies for engaging clients in conversations about health and wellness in building design.
- Identify design strategies and features that promote health and wellness across a variety of building types.
- Explain the importance of integrated design in achieving high-performance building and occupant health goals.
- Describe the fundamentals of the WELL Building Standard and its application to building projects.
Speakers:
Danielle Appello, Design Principal, Wight & Company
Kathy Carey, Director of Crisis Operations, DuPage County Health Department
John Mlade, Director of Sustainable & Healthy Environments, Wight & Company
