A framework for refurbishment of health facilities

Demolishing existing facilities and constructing new facilities is not a feasible solution to provide modern healthcare services and reducing the impacts of healthcare construction industry on the environment. Also, the National Health Service’s (NHS) focus on new construction in the recent past is responsible for the deteriorating existing building stock. An investigation of healthcare refurbishment reveals a need for a specific framework for existing buildings as the characteristics of new facilities and existing facilities are not similar. The function of the framework should be to assist with the refurbishment process. The research attempts to discuss current trends in refurbishment of healthcare facilities and possible solutions for the same. The methodology used is a literature review, web-based case studies, interviews, and observation site visits to several hospitals. A conceptual framework for refurbishment is proposed in the remainder of the paper. This work is a part of a research project related to existing healthcare facilities with energy as a key focus. It is identified that research in the area of refurbishment of existing hospitals has been neglected despite existing hospitals accounting for a significant portion of the NHS’s healthcare buildings stock