Hardwicke, J and King, A (2014) The use of evidence based design in NHS construction. In: Raiden, A and Aboagye-Nimo, E (eds.) Proceedings of 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2014, Portsmouth, UK.
Abstract
Evidence Based Design (EBD) is a process that bases design decisions on credible research and data to produce the best possible environments and outcomes. This process is most effective in hospital design where it can improve patient and staff outcomes and save the organisation money over time. Information regarding the processes and benefits of EBD is readily available, but there is a lack of knowledge on whether it is actually being implemented in the NHS. This paper explores the use of EBD in NHS construction and seeks to determine whether the value adding opportunities it offers are being utilised. An examination of the relevant literature revealed the processes of EBD, the contrasts to traditional hospital design and the barriers to its implementation. These primary themes were further explored through interviews with NHS professionals, researchers and designers, and the use of EBD was investigated via a nationwide survey of architects. The findings show that NHS Trusts have little awareness of the importance of the built environment in hospitals and are sceptical towards the value that EBD offers. This, along with the higher cost of EBD and the current economic climate, contributes to the use of EBD being relatively rare within the NHS, especially on smaller scale construction projects. With a predicted shift away from large hospital projects, the future of EBD in the NHS looks bleak, and therefore this research raises the question of whether the NHS is really striving to get the best value from its construction projects.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | briefing; design management; evidence based design; procurement |
| Index terms: | design decision, briefing, implementation, architect, built environment, design management, construction project, best value, survey, designer, evidence-based design, interview |
| Subjects: | design practice, production management, design process, infrastructure and transport systems, data collection methods, profession, design methods, scope management, bidding, contractual arrangements |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Urban Studies, Procurement, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here