Modular components, flexible space and broader use of advanced filtration are some of the major trends in health care facilities construction in New York City, where the COVID-19 emergency offered a significant proof of concept.
That could mean a large volume of work ahead using innovative practices. From 2020 through 2023, total construction spending will increase by 38% over the prior 4-year period to $9.4 billion, according to a New York Building Congress forecast in a July 20 report. The assessment, called “NYC Checkup: An Examination of Healthcare & Life Sciences Construction,” notes the rapid renovations of existing facilities in the first half of this year “to handle an influx of infected patients.” Authored by the Building Congress —with contributions by the congress' Healthcare and Life Sciences Committee, Nancy J. Kelley & Associates, New York City Economic Development Corporation, Partnership Fund for New York City, Urbanomics and Dodge Data & Analytics—the report anticipates "spending will increase as hospitals and healthcare providers adapt to the next normal and prepare for a potential resurgence of COVID-19.”