Carl Heyne

As healthcare design advances beyond minimizing harm, sustainability is evolving toward a holistic and systems-based, regenerative design approach. This session will introduce regenerative design as a framework that aligns with healthcare’s core mission to “do no harm” while actively supporting both human and ecological well-being.  Through case studies, the presenters will explore the varying impacts of regenerative design – for people, place, and buildings – to examine how healthcare campuses can position themselves as active contributors to resilient, thriving environments.

As healthcare institutions increasingly face pressures around financial investment, patient well-being, and staff retention, this session will present scalable strategies to guide planning, design, and investment decisions around holistic well-being. Grounded in biophilic principles, the speakers will examine the measurable benefits of nature-connected design on patient healing, staff wellness, and community health. This session will also highlight performance metrics used to evaluate regenerative outcomes and demonstrate how design strategies such as biodiversity enhancement, adaptive reuse, context-based campus planning, and strengthened community connections can contribute to long-term resilience.

Attendees will learn how to integrate regenerative thinking into healthcare planning and design across multiple scales, from buildings to campuses and communities, while considering  long-term adaptability to climate and environmental change.