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The Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) provides knowledge which supports the design of healthy environments by creating education and networking opportunities for members of – and those touched by – the health care architectural profession.

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COVID-19 resources for health care design

You can contribute information to the AIA COVID-19 project database, and view all submitted projects. Visit the Alternative Care Sites preparedness site to learn important areas to evaluate when selecting ACSs for the care and treatment of COVID-19 or surge capacity patients.

Explore additional resources for health care facilities >

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Covid 19 and Construction Projects

  • 1.  Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-17-2020 10:48 AM
    I am a part of the Project Management team at the University of Illinois - Chicago, with a focus on the hospital, Given the current public health crisis, we are trying to determine policies and protocols for projects underway or planned in the hospital.  

    To help our team, I was wondering if people could share if/how other hospitals are handling this.  Are their certain types of projects that they are proceeding with?  Have they ordered all projects halted?  Are all projects moving forward as planned?  Only projects underway?

    Are your clients/hospitals constructing any temporary, specialized facilities to handle the expected patient load and/or keep infected patients separated from the rest of the patient population.

    Finally, if anyone knows of guideines or policies they can point us to or share, we would appreciate it.

    Walter Hainsfurther, FAIA
    University of Illinois - Chicago
    Office of Planning, Sustainability and Project Management
    Assistant Director of Project Management - Architecture


  • 2.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-18-2020 05:34 PM

    Hello Walter,

    Here in Boston, we have seen all construction projects shut down by the Mayor. Before that hospitals were stopping construction, but most are keeping design projects going, with meetings all virtual.

     

    We also have one community hospital that halted all design projects so they could focus on their COVID response.

     

    You can see in this article that Steward health is shifting one smaller hospital to be COVID only.

    https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/03/18/hospitals-prepare-coronavirus-patients

     

    I don't have guidelines beyond FGI to share, but will if  see them.

     

    Wishing you all the best.

     

     

    LEIGH SNOW
    AIA, EDAC
    Principal | Planning
    _________________________________

     

    SmithGroup

    100 High Street, Suite 1800
    Boston, MA 02110

    T 617.502.3566 C 978.335.1334

    Leigh.Snow@smithgroup.com

     

    smithgroup.com

     

    Connect with us

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  • 3.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-18-2020 07:07 PM
    Walter:  I am a public health / environmental health scientist specializing in air/water/surface transmission of pathogens in healthcare facilities.  I focus for my professional position on reducing illness and injury from waterborne pathogens.  I do not formally practice architecture in the traditional sense but I was a 25+ year healthcare design professional prior to obtaining my doctorate.

    With that said, we service a large number of clients in the MidWest Region who have construction projects underway.   We have noticed that they are continuing to finish what is already under construction and then they are also examining where they are with bed capacity.  They are considering how to flex areas back into more bed space.  So there is a pause in terms of starting new projects, but that seems to be temporary to the emergency response for COVID19.  We have had numerous calls about checking areas for water quality to reactivate dormant, vacant, or previously used space for clinical care especially beds.  We also have folks opening ambulatory surgery centers and considering these as flax space for triage of patients etc.  Almost every option is on the board for increasing capacity.  To me the facility could do a safety risk assessment about the status of projects (in planning, in permitting, in progress, and about to complete) to determine a course of action. 

    I don't know how helpful that is but I feel the healthcare providers are ramping up for every space they can get that can safely operate within healthcare environment of care parameters.

    Best
    Molly

    Molly M. Scanlon, PhD, FAIA, FACHA
    Environmental Health Scientist





  • 4.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-19-2020 09:19 AM

    We are seeing a mixture of responses from clients. In some markets (Boston), all construction has been halted except "essential" – which means some healthcare-related projects can move forward. In NY, it's mixed by facility – almost all interior renovations within a hospital have been stood down, but some exterior work and/or high-priority projects that can demonstrate a tight barrier between the construction zone and the hospital are proceeding. Some projects at OP or ambulatory facilities are proceeding. It's definitely on a case-by-case basis, depending on where you are in the country and what is being mandated by state/local governments to keep their communities safe. Most of the systems we work with have done a project-by-project review to determine how to handle each one individually on its merits. We are continuing with design work, although remotely, on most of our projects.

     

    Hope this helps – will share more as we learn more.

     

    Jennifer R. Arbuckle, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP                                                                                                                

    partner

    jarbuckle@e4harchitecture.com

     

    e4h ENVIRONMENTS FOR HEALTH ARCHITECTURE

    185 talcott road, williston, VT  05495

    888.781.8441 t 802.878.8841 c 802.734.1254 e4harchitecture.com

     






  • 5.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-20-2020 05:28 PM
    Our design of multiple major medical centers across the nation has been either suspended temporarily or referred to teleconferencing until further notice. Project Design Centers have been shuttered. The doors have shut on the medical campuses to everyone but critical personnel. One project is considering an indefinite delay as they seek to redirect financial, physical and staff toward their COVID-19 response. Several have erected temporary patient facilities and are looking to utilizing vacant dorms and hotels for overflow capacity.


    Jerry Stephen Clubb, Sr.
    CEO / President



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  • 6.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-19-2020 09:33 AM
    ​In response to the question posed, I can say that our own organizational approach has been to continue with projects that are on the exterior (roof replacements, parking lots, etc.), or new construction that is already functionally isolated from residents on campus.  But we have suspended all work inside our health care centers.

    ------------------------------
    Kim Otten AIA
    The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
    Sioux Falls SD
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-23-2020 11:55 PM
    Edited by Julia E. Bright AIA 03-23-2020 11:57 PM
    For COVID-19 patients takin and triage, Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN converted a portion of a parking garage floor located near the emergency entrance.   Installed Acoustical ceiling with lights and resilient sheet flooring.  Temporary Head wall of gyp and metal stud. Beds spaced out for social distancing between beds.

    ------------------------------
    Elaine Bright, aia LEED AP
    Owner
    Bright Ventures Architectural Consulting
    Nashville, TN
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 03-25-2020 12:13 AM

    As it continues to evolve…at this point in time, our healthcare clients are continuing to move forward with project design work via virtual meeting sessions.  For healthcare construction projects, some of our healthcare clients have prioritized their construction projects with the goal to proceed with projects that support acute or COVID-19 needs.  Construction design team members are performing construction meetings by phone of virtual site visits with contractor on site.

    Our clients are installing temporary facilities with tents or modifying existing spaces with temporary partitions to support the anticipated patients to be triaged or staged.  Clients are discussing and exploring use of hotels or dorms as an option for the anticipated patients.  Lastly, there are modular companies providing healthcare organizations approaches of modular trailer type units for taking care of 8-12 patients at a time.   Even one modular company has asked for input to their housing modules they are adapting for the healthcare crisis.

     

    Solvei Neiger
    AIA, ACHA, NCARB 
    Partner

     

    ZGF ARCHITECTS LLP
    T 503.863.2364 E solvei.neiger@zgf.com
    1223 SW Washington Street, Suite 200
    Portland, OR 97205



    ------------------------------
    Solvei Neiger AIA
    Principal
    ZGF Architects LLP
    Portland OR
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 04-02-2020 05:34 PM
    Walter,
    In the South / Central Texas market, we are seeing construction projects that expand hospital capacity continue to move forward.  Renovation projects are going on hold, particularly if it will take some shutdowns affecting patient beds.  And some new projects are going on hold due to the financial market more so than to C-19.

    Brian Gray, AIA
    Principal
    Page | Houston 
    bgray@pagethink.com

    ------------------------------
    Brian Gray AIA
    Principal
    Page Southerland Page, Inc.
    Houston TX
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 04-02-2020 05:45 PM
    Please see the announcement that was just posted by the AIA.  The COVID-19 task force is launching a national database that will go active tomorrow.   All Academy Knowledge community members should have received the email. The database will allow searches by type of project, geographic location, and other variables.  We need input from those of you that can share important information to help healthcare providers respond. It should take less than ten minutes to share your experiences.  Please help.

    Link to Database Input



    ------------------------------
    Frank Zilm FAIA, FACHA
    Director, Institute for Health and Wellness Design
    The University of Kansas
    Kansas City MO
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Covid 19 and Construction Projects

    Posted 04-02-2020 06:41 PM

    Frank –

    Thank you.

    Let me know if I/we can help in any way.

     

    DAVID LOPEZ
    AIA NCARB LEED AP
    Associate | Sr. Medical Planner
    _________________________________

     

    SmithGroup

    5910 North Central Expressway, Suite 1765
    Dallas, TX 75206

    T 469.232.5556 C 469.766.4484

    david.lopez@smithgroup.com

     

    smithgroup.com

     

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