Last week, an enthusiastic team of Falkers made the trek to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the Healthcare Design Conference + Expo. Over 4000 attendees, including some of the most influential decision makers in the North American healthcare industry, gathered to explore innovative solutions for healthcare construction and design. We were excited to be part of the conversation!

Understanding Healthcare Construction Challenges

This was our fifth year attending HCD, and as always, it offered valuable opportunities for insightful conversations with our healthcare customers. The challenges they face in construction are not getting any easier. Issues like inflation, supply chain disruptions, and skilled labor shortages are wreaking havoc on budgets and timelines.

The 2024 Hospital Construction Survey from HFM magazine revealed that nearly half of healthcare respondents experienced cost increases and delays on 76 -100% of their recent projects.

As Falkbuilt CEO Mogens Smed put it, “We are coming to an industry that is totally frustrated with the current process. There isn’t one that says, ‘I’m happy with conventional construction.’ In fact, they all hate it. We have a real solution.”

Let's Talk Falk

We were excited to show everyone that the Falkbuilt solution is the only viable response to all the critical challenges in healthcare construction: cost, schedule, and design certainty. We shared our innovative offsite approach to building healthcare environments with unmatched speed, precision, and cleanliness. Most importantly, the differentiators that set us apart from any other prefab construction company in the world:

• Falkbuilt's pre-construction and design support provides total clarity for architecture and design, allowing our clients to build exactly the spaces they want, faster, and on budget.

• Our cutting-edge technology, Echo, provides full project clarity from design to installation.

• Our local Branches are on-the-ground partners and valuable resources for projects, supporting pre-construction, design assist, and responsive customer service support.

A Total Healthcare Solution: Fast, Clean, + Adaptable

The Falkbuilt HCD 2024 booth, a total healthcare solution, was constructed in just 13 hours from crate to clean-up - while the rest of the exhibition hall was just getting started!

A nod to Eero Saarinen’s iconic TWA Flight Center, the booth blends modern healthcare needs with the elegance of timeless design. The exterior features a neutral palette accented with stunning architectural timber "wings," while the inside dazzles with vibrant pops of red and Falkbuilt yellow, giving a retro feel. It’s a powerful demonstration of offsite Digital Component Construction + Echo technology, working together from design to installation.

The Patient Room features robust cladding and a full headwall with easy-to-access med gas and mechanical pathways, allowing trades to perform adjustments or replacements quickly and easily.

• Did you know? Patient room walls can be pre-wired offsite, allowing electricians in the field to simply and quickly connect power, significantly reducing timelines.

The Patient Bathroom solution cuts a conventional construction schedule by nearly 40%, meets strict healthcare sanitization protocols, and creates almost no construction dust.

• Did you know? Accessories such as mirrors, sinks, and millwork can be mounted directly onto our solid walls, holding up to 400 lbs. without added backing, saving time and labor.

The Conversation Areas integrate technology, custom millwork, and sound-absorbing ceiling baffles that enhance patient privacy and reduce noise.

• Did you know? Our sound-absorbing components achieve STC ratings higher than conventional applications, with baffles further improving sound protection.

The PIL Box (Project Immersion Lab) offers a 360-degree immersive view inside any design space giving project stakeholders a realistic sense of the space before it’s even built.

• Did you know? Using Echo + the PIL Box's state-of-the-art visualization technology, clients can make real-time changes from design to infrastructure, from inside their project, drastically reducing cost + schedule.

Innovative as Falk

At HCD 2024, Falkbuilt continued our legacy of continuous improvement with new developments aimed at improving healthcare environments. Some of the key innovations on display in the booth include:

• Rich woodgrain Falklimation, a durable, cleanable finish for louvers or steel door frames.

• Our total bathroom solution with Falkton, a new material designed for showers and wet areas.

• The immersive technology of the PIL Box (Project Immersion Lab)

The Future of Healthcare Construction

In true Falkbuilt fashion, the HCD 2024 booth is no one-trick pony. Now that the show has ended in Indianapolis, it will be disassembled, returned to Calgary, and rebuilt for our in-person and virtual factory tours — another example of our commitment to adaptability and reuse.

Healthcare construction is facing monumental challenges, but innovative solutions like Digital Component Construction are reshaping the landscape. The Falkbuilt solution tackles today’s issues head-on—delivering faster, cleaner, and more adaptable results. The future of healthcare construction is here, and Falkbuilt is leading the charge.

"There is absolutely no question, after 5 years of pursuing the vision, HCD 2024 clearly established Falkbuilt as “the brand” and solution for interior construction in Healthcare! We have absolutely no competition in pursuing this staggering market opportunity!" says Mogens, who's already jazzed for next year.“We want to extend our sincerest gratitude to all our HQ Falkers and Branches for your support in making this happen! We’re just getting started!”

See you at HCD 2025 in Kansas City!