The Center for Health Design

The Center for Health Design Research: We help facilitate research on how the design of the built environment affects outcomes.

The Center for Health Design is a non-profit organization - through design research, education and advocacy we improve and maximize health, safety and wellness in environments where people live, work and heal. A major initiative is the Pebble Project, a unique and dynamic collaborative, where forward-thinking healthcare, design, and industry professionals learn, research, and share information wit

h one another. Our website has more than 40 free research reports and whitepapers that link the built environment to outcomes and searchable databases of relevant research and project examples. Education: Our Evidence-based Design Accreditation & Certification (EDAC) program is an internationally recognized educational program that awards credentials to individuals who demonstrate a thorough understanding of how to apply an evidence-based process to plan and design healthcare facilities. With more than 1,200 certified individuals since its launch in 2009, EDAC is quickly becoming one of the healthcare design industry’s most important credentials. Each year, more than 4,000 individuals attend our annual Healthcare Design conference and 30,000 subscribe to Healthcare Design magazine (both produced by Vendome Group in association with CHD). Advocacy: We recognize and promote excellence in design and leadership through 5 award programs. By providing input into the Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, we are advocating for change in the building codes and standards. A partner in the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, we are an active participant in a coalition of major health systems and organizations committed to improving sustainability and safety across the healthcare sector. Hundreds of individuals and organizations are engaged to support our work and help transform the industry through our affiliate membership program.

Our monthly Tools & Resources newsletter features a variety of Center-produced resources to help inform our design commu...
06/05/2026

Our monthly Tools & Resources newsletter features a variety of Center-produced resources to help inform our design community of the best and latest research, tools and design solutions.

The topic of our June 2026 newsletter is cancer care environments. Cancer care patients are among our most vulnerable healthcare populations. Their needs are complex and varied — spanning diagnosis, infusion therapy, radiation treatment, survivorship, and supportive care — and require thoughtfully designed environments that support clinical performance while also prioritizing comfort, dignity, emotional wellbeing, and healing across the care journey.

To support improved care and enhance patient safety, today’s design, facility and care professionals must advance their understanding of the oncology care environment’s impact on patient experience and incorporate the best and latest research, tools and design solutions throughout all healthcare settings. Check out this month's Tools & Resources newsletter here: https://loom.ly/Jh2eWTk

What does it take to prepare healthcare facilities for a future shaped by automation, robotics, and AI?Join Corey Gaarde...
06/05/2026

What does it take to prepare healthcare facilities for a future shaped by automation, robotics, and AI?

Join Corey Gaarde of IMEG and Brian Briscoe and Shawna Langworthy of HKS Architects as they examine the opportunities, challenges, and unknowns surrounding emerging healthcare technologies. The discussion will explore what architects, designers, and healthcare leaders should be considering today—from infrastructure and flexibility to long-term planning—as technology continues to transform care delivery.

Whether you're working on a new facility or a renovation project, you'll gain practical perspectives on preparing for what's next. Learn more and register at the link. Affiliate discounts apply. https://loom.ly/SJf0wVk

Join us for a discussion featuring members of The Center for Health Design’s Pediatric Environment Network (PEN), a grou...
06/05/2026

Join us for a discussion featuring members of The Center for Health Design’s Pediatric Environment Network (PEN), a group of senior-level leaders shaping the design and oversight of pediatric environments. This candid conversation explores how built environments can continue to support the well-being of patients, families, and staff—even amid disruption.

Panelists Jill Pearsall, Jennifer Mishkin of Nemours Children’s Health, Sarah Walter of Stantec, Sean Darras of LUXTECH, LLC, and Kari Thorsen of ZGF Architects will share lessons learned from the field, highlighting strategies and design approaches that have proven resilient, as well as those that have fallen short. They will also offer practical insights on how they are adapting and what they would do differently to create safer, more effective pediatric environments in uncertain times. Learn more and register: https://loom.ly/8CluyCo

Intensive care unit (ICU) patient rooms serve critically ill patients. With requirements for close monitoring and observ...
06/04/2026

Intensive care unit (ICU) patient rooms serve critically ill patients. With requirements for close monitoring and observation, as well as specialized equipment and technology, the physical environment can be frightening for families and requires special considerations to optimize staff efficiency, promote quality care and safety of patients, and support loved ones. To learn more, check out our free interactive design diagram tool here: https://loom.ly/Op47WS0

Outdoor spaces are increasingly recognized as a vital yet often underutilized component of the healing environment. Joi...
06/04/2026

Outdoor spaces are increasingly recognized as a vital yet often underutilized component of the healing environment. Join Naomi Sachs of University of Maryland and Shan Jiang of GBBN Architects as they explore the evidence linking access to nature, fresh air, and thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces with improved patient outcomes, accelerated recovery, and enhanced staff well-being.

This session will connect research with practical design strategies, offering insights healthcare professionals can apply to create more meaningful and effective healing environments. Learn more and register: https://loom.ly/wyGL1FE

Touchstone Award submission are now open! If you and your team have employed the evidence-based design process in a heal...
06/03/2026

Touchstone Award submission are now open! If you and your team have employed the evidence-based design process in a healthcare project (built or conceptual) or product of any type, we encourage you to explore this recognition opportunity and apply.

Award recipients will be honored at The Center's Award Ceremony at the 2027 PDC Summit in New Orleans; receive feature coverage in Health Facilities Management Magazine; gain exposure throughout the year to The Center's 27,000+ global community; and to the American Society for Health Care Engineering community of 12,000+ healthcare provider and facilities professionals. Learn about our Touchstone Award here: https://loom.ly/vBkYXwo

At the March 2026 PDC Summit in Houston, The Center produced and presented a a 28-session Learning Track – Research, Des...
06/02/2026

At the March 2026 PDC Summit in Houston, The Center produced and presented a a 28-session Learning Track – Research, Design and Outcomes – featuring recent work from The Center’s research team; Environment Networks; the HERD Journal, and other familiar and new healthcare design industry leaders.

For the 2027 PDC Summit in New Orleans, we’re looking for smart, forward-thinking and inspiring industry veterans and ambitious up-and-comers as presenters or panelists for our track.

We’re looking for stories that feature the use of research to advance best practices and improve health outcomes, patient experience of care, and provider/staff satisfaction and performance. If you are a content expert and want to share your knowledge, we encourage you to apply! Learn more and submit your proposal here: https://loom.ly/QdknMtM

Automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are reshaping healthcare delivery — and raising important questions fo...
06/02/2026

Automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are reshaping healthcare delivery — and raising important questions for everyone who designs, builds, and operates healthcare facilities.

Join Corey Gaarde of IMEG and Brian Briscoe and Shawna Langworthy of HKS Architects for a discussion on which emerging technologies are showing early promise, which remain aspirational, and what architects, designers, and healthcare operators are learning as they navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.

From large academic medical centers to small rural hospitals, the conversation will offer practical insight into preparing facilities for the next technology revolution. Learn more and register at the link. Affiliate discounts apply. https://loom.ly/SJf0wVk

We are still accepting proposals for the Joseph G. Sprague New Investigator Award until June 12. Presented by The Center...
06/01/2026

We are still accepting proposals for the Joseph G. Sprague New Investigator Award until June 12. Presented by The Center, we will award up to $15,000 to support high quality research by new investigators around the world, whose research can fill critical gaps in the field of evidence-based design.

The award is open to graduate students, and other recent research degree recipients whose contributions reflect their potential to conduct original, empirical research to improve our understanding of the relationships between the physical environment and health-related outcomes & wellness. To learn more about submissions, follow this link: https://loom.ly/iAamALg

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