By Stephen Straub, Director of Healthcare Construction
In a few weeks, masses of people who design, build, maintain, and operate hospitals will descend on Houston for the annual American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) 2026 International Summit & Exhibition on Health Facility Planning, Design & Construction — or simply the ASHE PDC Summit. The event is a great opportunity for our own healthcare construction experts to meet, network, and learn from other experienced professionals in the industry. Here are a few trends I expect everyone will be talking about at the summit:
AI and Technology-Based Efficiency
AI is everywhere you look, and so it makes sense that it’s leading design and construction trends in healthcare projects, too. Most of our recent and upcoming hospital projects feature Smart Building controls like IoT systems that control HVAC, lighting, and more operating options to make the MEP systems scheduled and high efficiency. The hospital building systems are becoming more hands-off as new design includes AI technology that records trends and can adjust to maintain optimal efficiency. This is directly related to another ongoing trend we’re seeing, especially with larger healthcare systems — a consistent push towards lean and green construction. Our clients are investing more money upfront to make their buildings healthier and more efficient, with reduced operation costs.
Healthcare Worker Wellness Focus
No one can argue that healthcare workers and providers have a demanding and exhausting job. We’re seeing healthcare systems considering that more as they plan new spaces and renovate existing ones, with design focusing on spaces that support the staff’s well-being and operational efficiency. The industry is facing a workforce shortage, and burnout is a very real issue our clients are focused on. With nurses, doctors, and staff on their feet for most of the day, we’re seeing designs incorporating flooring that is easier on their feet. There’s a shift towards including wellness and quiet rooms, more break spaces, and more outside lighting. Hospital patient floor designs are moving away from the “racetrack” approach with one centralized nursing station that requires staff to walk long distances between patient rooms and the station. Now, we’re seeing more designs incorporating decentralized nursing stations, or a larger number of smaller stations set up closer to patients’ rooms, which can reduce the amount of walking per day and make employees’ days more efficient.
Convenient, Community-Centered Care
We’ve been talking about the push for more convenient healthcare closer to where people live for about 10 years. But what was a slow shift has opened up, and healthcare systems are investing a lot of money to adapt. I think in the last six months, our division has bid on 10 primary care facilities that are being built outside of the hospitals. We’re seeing unoccupied retail spaces, office spaces, and mixed-use sites in communities being repurposed into ambulatory surgery centers and primary care doctors’ offices. People want convenience; they want to be able to stay in their communities for all their needs — and that includes healthcare needs. More services are branching out of main hospitals and are being built in communities where people frequent that require less travel to get there. Another side of this trend is that we’re seeing healthcare systems investing in underserved areas, building freestanding emergency departments, micro hospitals, and primary care facilities further out from the main hospital campus so that patients have reliable and convenient care close to home.
