The American Society for Health Care Engineering has announced Boston Medical Center Health System as the winner of the 2024 Excellence in Health Care Facility Management Award.
Each year, the FM Excellence Award recognizes individuals or facilities management departments that implement new or innovative programs or processes to optimize the health care physical environment and improve patient care. Boston Medical Center Health System officials will be presented the award in Anaheim, California, at the inaugural Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference (formerly the ASHE Annual Conference & Technical Exhibition), July 21-24.
The award is presented to Boston Medical Center Health System for its efforts in establishing the Brockton Massachusetts Behavioral Health Center. Opening to the public in October 2022, the project converted an out-of-service nursing home built in the 1960s into an 80-bed, behavioral health facility that provides crucial access to inpatient behavioral health care in Brockton and the greater Boston area. The facility incorporates evidence-based design practices, such as calming spaces characterized by nature-inspired materials and access to natural light and outdoor areas, that support the hospital’s highly inclusive and trauma-informed approach to care.
The Brockton Behavioral Health Center is also distinguished as the first net-zero energy ready behavioral health facility in the United States. The project team improved the building’s envelope and leveraged a combination of geothermal heating and on-site solar energy production to ensure the facility operated with optimal energy efficiency and relied primarily upon renewable energy sources. The project team also prioritized the use of non-toxic, sustainable building materials that comply with the American Institute of Architects’ Materials Pledge.
For more information, visit ashe.org/awards.
