Resilience by Design: How Healthcare Systems Are Future-Proofing Infrastructure

A Multi-Pronged Approach to Resiliency—Combining Climate-Specific Design, Energy Innovation, and Carbon-Smart Construction—Enhances Continuity of Care and Environmental Benefits, According to DPR Construction

, /PRNewswire/ -- As billion-dollar climate disasters become a fixture of the national landscape, healthcare systems are redefining what it means to build for the future. Healthcare facilities must do more than recover after an event; they need to remain online during the crisis itself. DPR Construction's latest Healthcare Insights report underscores why resilient design, which ensures healthcare facilities can operate through disruption and adapt to long-term environmental challenges, is no longer optional. The report outlines a multi-faceted approach to minimize environmental impacts, enhance operational certainty, and improve sustainability.

"Healthcare facilities aren't just buildings, they are lifelines," said Robert Meyer, DPR healthcare strategist. "By proactively investing in adaptive, sustainable design, healthcare systems are not only minimizing the impact of climate events, but they're also improving patient care, protecting operational budgets, and positioning themselves—and their communities—for a resilient future."

The report identifies four key focus areas for systems aiming to build resilience and align with ESG goals:

• Climate-Specific Design: Floodproofing. Hurricane-resistant assemblies. Wildfire mitigation strategies. Embedding regional climate intelligence directly into design results in infrastructure that stays operational during extreme events and protects the people who rely on it.
• Energy Efficiency and On-Site Power: Energy-efficient HVAC systems, smart lighting, and advanced insulation are becoming standard. But the bar is rising. More systems are going off-grid, integrating solar arrays, wind turbines, and battery storage to ensure backup power and reduce operational costs.
• Low-Carbon Building Practices: Embodied carbon is now a top priority. Choosing recycled steel, low-carbon concrete, and sustainably sourced materials are key considerations. When possible, existing buildings are reused or retrofitted, cutting embodied emissions by up to 75% compared to new builds.
• Innovative Construction for Speed and Flexibility: Prefabrication and modular design are accelerating timelines and reducing waste. These assemblies are built off-site, protected from weather delays, and installed with minimal disruption. In post-disaster scenarios, this model also helps facilities scale or recover faster.

In an era of increasing climate change and natural disruption, healthcare systems are taking a proactive stance: building infrastructure that keeps operating, even when the grid doesn't. That means delivering durable healthcare spaces designed for long-term resilience and equipped to handle environmental extremes while supporting sustainable operations.

"As financial pressures, regulatory demands, and sustainability goals converge, resilient infrastructure is no longer a nice-to-have. It is a strategic imperative for the future of healthcare," Meyer added. "This approach helps organizations move beyond traditional hardening and into a more integrated model of design that supports climate resilience, energy efficiency, and long-term value."

About DPR Construction
DPR Construction is a forward-thinking, self-performing general contractor and construction manager specializing in technically complex and sustainable projects for the advanced technology, life sciences, healthcare, higher education and commercial markets. DPR's portfolio of work ranges from large-scale new construction to small tenant improvements and special projects. Founded in 1990, DPR is a great story of entrepreneurial success as a private, employee-owned company that has grown to a multi-billion-dollar organization with offices around the world. Strategically focused on delivering more predictable outcomes through applications of virtual design & construction, prefabrication, its team of self-perform craft, and leveraging data to learn and improve from DPR consistently ranks among the top building contractors and employs approximately 11,000 professionals across its family of companies. For more information, visit http://www.dpr.com.

For more information, please contact:

Eva Chotani
DPR Construction
Email: [email protected] 

SOURCE DPR Construction