Hospitals Focusing on Renovation

Chicago, IL, March 1, 2011 -- America’s hospitals and health systems are focusing more on renovation or expansion than new construction, according to a new survey conducted by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering.

Renovation or expansion accounted for 73% of construction projects at hospitals responding to the survey.

Overall, slightly more than one in four respondents (26.1%) reported that their organizations have building projects currently under construction. About 15% of this total involved new construction, 11.6% involved replacement facilities and the remainder covered expansion and renovation. In this latter category, many of the additions or modernization projects were for emergency departments, imaging, surgery areas or cancer centers.

Hospitals and health systems are focusing on making their building projects more environmentally friendly. More than two out of three respondents said they are specifying so-called “green” materials in most or all of their construction projects. About 60% of respondents also said their organization evaluates the cost/benefit of green construction methods for building projects.