Morag Lee1
1Hassell, Level 1 Commonwealth Bank Building 242 Murray Street, Perth, WA Australia 6000
Abstract:
The nature of healthcare facilities have always reflected the societal environment in which they are set, with design priorities mirroring the economic and cultural priorities of the time. Over the last 20 years, we have seen evidence-based design, patient centred care and inclusive design all jostling for priority.
Most recently, the impact of bird flu, the increase in MDROs and of course the Covid epidemic have had a fundamental effect on the way we look to design healthcare facilities for the future, increasing the focus on infection control and accelerating the concept of virtual/remote healthcare environments.
However, as we move away from the pandemic issues of the last few years, another agenda is emerging in this field of design, sustainability. Clearly, this issue is not limited to the healthcare field, with all design sectors looking to address this crucial agenda. However, healthcare, in particular, presents an enormous sustainability challenge.
As designers responding to this agenda, we are being asked to explore issues such as; the selection of sustainable building products, increasing natural ventilation, the introduction of biophilic principles, reducing water consumption etc.
But can theses aims be achieved while still responding to key infection control design principles, principles that, when taken to their extremes, would lead to the development of our care facilities as highly serviced, sealed sterile boxes.
But is there a balance to be struck between these 2 agendas? If we move forward with the sustainability agenda to benefit the community as a whole, how do we ensure that by doing so we are not causing harm to the community served by the building itself?