The challenge of implementing industrialized construction to achieve sustainable future-proof healthcare facilities is not only about construction methods themselves but also about how to shift design methodologies. COVID-19 has raised the attention of research and practices in using modular design and construction for healthcare facilities. However, the lifespan and functional differences between general and emergency healthcare facilities mean that their sustainable design requirements are not exactly the same. Drawing from 27 interviews and design review sessions with 19 international groups of experts, this research proposes a modular adaptable hospital design (MAHD) approach based on the Open Building Concept (OBC). This includes an evaluation framework composed of five design categories and 23 subcategories complemented with a set of design guidelines and it concludes by identifying a future implementation pathway. This research extends the implementation of OBC through theoretical contributions for modular and adaptable designs and practical guidelines for future design implementation. ... Read more

This paper investigates how hospitals can achieve increased flexibility and adaptability using a modular adaptable hospital design (MAHD) methodology. MAHD can be used to improve hospital lifecycle operation, including a potential implementation strategy and feasibility analysis. Drawing from 27 semi-structured interviews and design review sessions with 19 international groups of healthcare, design, engineering, and construction experts, the paper proposes a MAHD Design Methodology framework. This includes an evaluation framework composed of five design categories and 23 sub-categories complemented with a set of design guidelines developed by the researchers. The resulting design guidelines explain the process of designing and building hospitals with new MAHD technologies. The paper concludes by identifying a future implementation pathway for MAHD with the ultimate goal of applying the new modular adaptable design and construction techniques in a real hospital project. The contribution is a methodological approach for designing and constructing hospitals that can achieve greater economic, social, and environmental benefits due to non-disruptive lifecycle adaptability. ... Read more