Eric Corey Freed, our director of sustainability, recently spoke with TreeHugger about “growing” hospitals in the future and what it will take to make this a reality.
In the piece, Eric explains how critical it is to think bigger than conventional sustainable design. “We are way past energy-efficiency and net zero. We are heading toward carbon negative design and the idea of nature-based, symbiotic design,” said Eric.
The article highlights the healthcare field and the concept of designing facilities that will directly improve patient outcomes. Collaborating with healthcare staff, Eric envisions future healthcare spaces that improve patience experiences by tapping into human senses.
"Could we manipulate their brain chemistry through design?,” Eric asks. Examples include designing a reception desk to trigger chemicals that make patients feel calmer or patient rooms to boost immune response. “Could the building essentially give you a hug?,” he adds.
