ASHE recognizes Boston Medical Center Health System for excellence in facilities management

CHICAGO — The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE), a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association, is pleased to announce Boston Medical Center Health System as the winner of the 2024 Excellence in Health Care Facility Management (FM Excellence) 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, Calif., at the inaugural Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference (formerly the ASHE Annual Conference & Technical Exhibition) taking place July 21-24.

The award is presented to Boston Medical Center Health System for its extraordinary efforts in establishing the Brockton (Mass.) 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, state-of-the-art behavioral health facility that now 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 as well as 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.

“Brockton Behavioral Health Center was chosen as the winner of this year’s FM Excellence Award for many factors, including its emphasis on mental health, sustainability and unique design components,” says Robert L. Baird, CHFM, CHC, CHSP, FASHE, director of facility operations for University of Florida Health and a member of ASHE’s Awards and Recognition Task Force. “All the award candidates had worthy goals and outcomes, but Boston Medical Center Health System stood out for meeting its objectives from the design phase and providing a sustainable facility for an underserved population. This focus will serve its community well for decades to come.”

For more information about the FM Excellence Award and this year’s winner, visit ashe.org/awards.

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About ASHE
The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) is a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association. More than 12,000 members rely on ASHE as a critical source of professional development, information and advocacy, including representation on key issues that affect their work in the health care physical environment. For more information about ASHE, contact 312-422-3800 or visit ashe.org.