Newest building on Scripps Research campus earns LEED gold rating
Chi-Huey Wong Laboratories for Biomedical Research recognized for sustainable construction.
May 22, 2025
LA JOLLA, CA—When Scripps Research opened its Chi-Huey Wong Laboratories for Biomedical Research in August 2024, the institute was proud to have completed an 83,000-square-foot facility that met the high standards for a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver rating. Recently, a rigorous final evaluation by the U.S. Green Building Council, which issues LEED certification, determined that the Wong Laboratories had exceeded its original construction goals and awarded the facility a coveted LEED gold certification.
“We are thrilled with the LEED gold rating,” says Morgan Hoffman, vice president of Facilities and Campus Services at Scripps Research. “From the time we first envisioned this project, we knew we wanted to aim for a sustainable building. So, we worked closely with the architects at DGA, and with DPR Construction, both here in San Diego, to build a facility that supported our scientific research while supporting the wise and safe use of all resources.”
The building, which rises at the intersection of Genesee Avenue and John Jay Hopkins Drive in La Jolla, California, includes eco-friendly features such as drought-tolerant landscaping, EV charging stations, water-efficient systems and a reflective cool roof, among other elements.
In earning its gold rating, the facility received high scores for using low-emission construction materials, reducing light pollution and protecting a sensitive site. In one case, construction halted while a mature Torrey pine was carefully dug up and replanted at the entry to the facility’s multi-level parking structure. The review noted that the comfort of the building’s inhabitants was also taken into consideration, and high scores were awarded for the quality of indoor air, lighting and scenic views.
Named in honor of noted scientist Chi-Huey Wong, the Scripps Family Chair Professor of Chemistry at Scripps Research, the building was seeded with significant funding from businessman and philanthropist Samuel Yin, along with other supporters. The building houses Wong’s laboratory team, as well as those of collaborating Scripps Research scientists pursuing drug discovery.
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