Lipscomb University opened its new $8.5 million Nursing and Health Sciences Center Thursday with a dedication ceremony and tours.

The 24,800-square-foot high-tech health care training facility can also be used as an emergency triage center in times of crisis. It includes a 14-bed assessment skills lab, a 16-bed health simulation lab and two lecture halls large enough for 110 students.

“This new facility will prepare Lipscomb’s next generation of health science professionals to serve the global community in a way they are crying out for,” Roger Davis, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, said in a releade. “This center will be the focal point for educational activities for all our health science students.”

The facility was constructed by D.F. Chase, with Tuck Hinton serving as architect and Barge Waggoner as the lead engineering.