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A Methodological Process for Healthcare Flooring Material Decisions Using Cost-Benefit Analysis and Sustainability
Xiaoyu Chen1, Lisa Sundahl Platt1
1Department of Interior Design, University of Florida, College of Design, Construction and Planning, Gainesville, FL, USA.
None:
ObjectivesThis study aimed to develop a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) process to guide the evidence-based selection of healthcare flooring materials that balance safety, environmental sustainability, and economic viability.BackgroundFlooring selection in healthcare environments significantly influences patient safety and well-being, operational costs, maintainability, and environmental performance. However, tools that support material choices aligned with both sustainability goals and long-term cost efficiency remain limited, especially in the predesign and specification stages.MethodsA CBA approach was applied, integrating discounted cost analysis for economic assessment, sustainability key performance indicators for environmental and maintenance evaluation, and a benefit-cost ratio model for final decision-making. This quantitative approach compared flooring materials' "first costs" to long-term benefits concerning safety, environmental sustainability, and maintainability, supporting trade-off analysis in healthcare design.ResultsBased on the data used for this research, common flooring materials such as rubber and linoleum demonstrated a high balance of durability, safety, and sustainability performance. Conversely, vinyl-based options scored lower on composite criteria for long-term performance and sustainable value proposition. This examination culminated in a generalizable cost-benefit model for healthcare material decisions.ConclusionsThis study introduces a design decision-support approach that complements choice management during the environment of care predesign stage for practitioners and healthcare facility operations specialists. The parameters used in this study offer the potential to better inform environmental planning lifecycle choices by considering healthcare flooring material safety and sustainability as equally weighted criteria, without compromising operational fiscal prudence.
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