Major natural disasters over the last decade or so have seriously damaged or destroyed a number of U.S. health care facilities, spurring planners to invest resilient design, according to an article on the Trustee magazine website.

When catastrophe strikes, healthcare organizations must continue to operate. It’s a matter of patient safety, business continuity and public service, Doug Erickson, chair of the Health Guidelines Revision Committee, which oversees the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, said in the article.

Recovery costs to the New York healthcare sector following Hurricane Sandy in 2012 were estimated at $3.1 billion.

Resilient design can include elements such as a precast exterior and a multilayer roof system constructed of lightweight concrete atop a metal deck. Specially designed glazing systems featuring laminated glass can withstand 140-mph winds. Storm-resistant doors and door hardware provide additional protection.

Read the article.