Building From Within: A Health & Wellness Leadership Transition
At SMRT, leadership transitions begin years before the announcement, in the day-to-day work of a practice: the client relationships built over time, the clinical problems solved together, the expertise developed project by project. That’s the context for the news we’re sharing today. Rebecca Casey has been named Director of Health & Wellness Practice, effective July 1. And while the title is new,…
5 Steps to Balance Care and Operations in Remote Skilled Nursing Design
Designing a skilled nursing facility (SNF) in a remote or island setting, like those we’ve tackled in Northern Maine and Nantucket, is a unique opportunity. The challenges of isolation, labor shortages, and logistics serve as powerful catalysts, forcing design teams to rethink the standard model and to focus on operational efficiency and human well-being. At SMRT, we approach each project with a structured, integrated…
Rebecca Casey and Jessica King Share Expertise on Adaptive Reuse of Retail for Outpatient Care in Healthcare Facilities Today
Adaptive reuse of empty big-box stores is an increasingly popular strategy for expanding healthcare services in both urban and suburban settings, redefining how communities’ access crucial medical care. Repurposing these retail spaces offers a unique and sustainable opportunity to bring essential services closer to patients, often in highly visible, easily accessible locations with ample parking. …
Optimizing Emergency Department Design: A Blueprint for Flexibility, Safety, and Resilience
Emergency Departments (EDs) are the front doors to hospitals and the safety nets for communities. But with rising patient volumes, complex care needs, and increasing safety concerns, designing these critical spaces requires more than just meeting code. It demands smart, adaptable solutions that improve both patient experience and operational performance. Understanding the Pressures on Today’s…
Bridging the Data Gap: How Custom Tools Transform A/E Design
Architecture and engineering are changing. The demand for high-quality design is still strong, but clients facing increasingly complex projects expect more. A well-structured BIM (Building Information Model) file used to produce 2D drawings is no longer enough, and the I in BIM – information – is not always complete or accessible. At the same time,…
Ellen Belknap featured on Northern Light Health’s Podcast
Healthy buildings are a fundamental component of delivering quality healthcare. Healthy buildings are better for the end user, the staff, the family, and of course, the patients. Ellen Belknap, Senior Principal | Senior Architect In a recent Northern Light Health Sustainable Healthcare podcast episode, Ellen Belknap discussed how the built environment can significantly benefit our…
Designing Inclusive Healthcare Environments: Upcoming Regulatory Changes to Support Patients with Disabilities
Key Takeaways Background In 2023, the Urban Institute (Institute) (www.urban.org) published research concluding that four in ten adults with disabilities experience unfair treatment in healthcare settings, at work, or when applying for public benefits (source). The Institute also reported more than 50% of those with disabilities reported a delay in receiving care because of discrimination….
SMRT Featured in Medical Construction & Design Magazine
In the November/December issue of Medical Construction and Design Magazine, Derek Veilleux, senior principal and director of SMRT’s health and wellness practice, explains how designers are using patient feedback to inform a new approach into creating a less stressful environment at these off-campus facilities. “As health systems continue to shift routine patient care and elective…
Mass Timber “Revolution” – SMRT Featured in MaineBiz
Ellen Belknap, President of SMRT Architect and Engineers spoke at last month’s Environmental & Energy Technology Council of Maine (E2Tech) event about the potential future of producing mass timber and cross-laminated timber in Maine. “When we have mass timber available to us locally, it will be a game-changer,” she said. Belknap’s discussion centered on how to…
WELL, Now: How WELL’s Health-Safety Rating System Provides a Safer Path Back to Work
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, awareness and wariness of building safety skyrocketed. In response to this crisis, the WELL Health-Safety Rating system was developed to be a low barrier threshold to improve a space’s overall health impact.