Medical Sciences Building

The Medical Sciences Building (MSB) in Scranton, PA, is the home of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine’s academic and research programs.

Opened in April 2011 and dedicated in October 2011, the 185,000 square foot MSB occupies a three-acre parcel of land in downtown Scranton and houses students, faculty and staff.

Key features

Clinical Skills and Simulation Center: The center is nearly 10,000 square feet and features state-of-the-art equipment for simulation and standardized patient experiences.
Lecture halls and classrooms
Library: Geisinger Commonwealth’s Medical Library is 95% digital and accessible 24/7 by students, faculty and staff.
Research facilities: Research facilities include the Molecular Biology & Protein Science Facility and the Microscopy and Flow Cytometry Facility.
Small group rooms: Small group learning and study is essential to Geisinger Commonwealth’s curriculum.
Student lounge: Designed with student input, the student lounge features comfortable study and relaxation space, a kitchenette and spectacular views of Scranton.

Sustainable design

Geisinger Commonwealth is committed to energy and vital resource efficiency. While building the MSB, efforts were taken to reduce waste and create an environmentally-friendly design.

Geisinger Commonwealth was awarded LEED Silver certification for its MSB. Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification program is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Geisinger Commonwealth’s LEED-certified Medical Sciences Building was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include:

Many materials were produced within a 500-mile radius of the MSB
Granite stone veneer masonry products are indigenous to Pennsylvania
White EPDM 20-year roofing with low albedo reduces interior heat and saves on air conditioning costs
Structural steel was produced from a high percentage of recycled content
Cooling tower design includes the use of recycled storm water, collected from rain water leaders and stored in underground cisterns in order to reduce the demand for potable water
Lighting in all spaces is connected through the building management system which automatically switches to unoccupied mode when space is empty
Motion-censored lighting and daylight maximization lowers usage of overhead lights
Bamboo, a high quality green alternative to hardwoods, is utilized for flooring as well as at some countertop surfaces
Rubble created from the demolition of tennis and basketball courts previously located on the construction site was reused as a sub-base for temporary roads
During construction nearly 700 tons of dry wall, cardboard, rubble, wood and non-ferrous metal were recycled
Less than 150 tons of non-recyclable waste was produced
82.93% of construction waste was diverted from landfills