UTMB Health League City is a complete inpatient and outpatient healthcare facility. It includes medical and surgical specialties, expanded-hours urgent care, as well as a 24-hour emergency department.

To cater to the needs of the rapidly growing region, the UTMB Health Board of Regents decided to expand its facility by adding a new 5-story wing with 60 additional beds, additional support staff space, intensive care units, laboratory, café, and many other services.

During the design process, patient and caregiver experience was top-of-mind. Research has shown that welcoming and aesthetically pleasing spaces improves the patients’ wellbeing and accelerate their recovery, and lighting plays a direct role.

After testing many LED luminaires and lighting control options, UTMB Health opted for Cooper Lighting Solutions LED luminaires and digital controls.

Metalux LED luminaries account for about 65% of the new building’s ambient lighting, delivering high-quality, volumetric optics. Portfolio downlights, which provide a more hotel-like aesthetic, were used in patient rooms and lounges.

To streamline lighting control across multiple locations like patient rooms, nurse’s stations, and general areas like the lobby and cafeteria, UTMB selected the cost-effective WaveLinx Pro wireless and Greengate Room Controller control systems.

UTMB also wanted to give patients, caregivers, and staff more control over patient room lighting. Each patient room was outfitted with five lighting control wall stations, where people could select lighting “scenes” and adjust light levels according to the task or scenario at hand. Using more than 400 wireless relay switch packs and multiple types of luminaires, it enabled
connectivity between multiple fixtures, controls, and accessories.