NH’s built environment continues to evolve

From health care campuses to historic renovations and infrastructure upgrades, New Hampshire’s built environment is evolving to meet new demands in sustainability, flexibility and growth

From health care campuses to historic renovations and infrastructure upgrades, New Hampshire’s built environment is evolving to meet new demands in sustainability, flexibility and growth. Industry leaders share insights on where construction is headed, from adaptable design and responsible demolition to sustainable architecture and infrastructure resilience, and how thoughtful planning today is shaping the future of our communities.

Panelists:

Colby Cavanagh, health care and sciences studio leader, Maugel DeStefano Architects, maugel.com

Matt Preston, president, EnviroVantage, EnviroVantage.com

Alyssa Manypenny Murphy, AIA, LEED AP, Placework, placework.studio

Tina Chang, PE, LEED AP, TFMoran, tfmoran.com

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Colby Cavanagh, healthcare and sciences studio leader, Maugel DeStefano Architects

Q. We hear about flexible office and industrial buildings. What does “flexibility” mean in health care facility design?

We’ve been designing flexible medical facilities for quite some time, but the meaning has changed. Early on, it referred to practical space sharing — doctors on different schedules using the same exam rooms, or consultation rooms that could open into larger training spaces.

Now, flexibility means creating multiuse exam rooms that support exams, consultations and procedures, and can be shared by multiple practitioners. The challenge is making sure the space works for everyone. Adult primary care, for example, has very different requirements from pediatrics. Considering every possible scenario makes the space truly adaptable.

Q. How often do clients struggle with whether to stay and renovate or move to a new facility?

It really depends on the client. Large health care networks aren’t moving their hospitals anytime soon, so their questions are usually: Do we add an addition? add a floor? move certain departments off-site?

We often see hospitals easing capacity pressures by developing satellite medical office buildings that act as “one-stop shops” for urgent care, women’s health, pediatrics and primary care. These off-site facilities improve patient access and relieve strain on the main hospital.

When we start a project, we typically create a master plan to explore all options. It’s not just about the physical space; it’s about the organization’s role in the community, accessibility and maintaining a trusted reputation for quality care.

Renovation brings added complexity because hospitals must remain operational throughout construction.

Careful phasing ensures patient services continue uninterrupted. Losing exam rooms or experiencing downtime in critical areas simply isn’t an option.

One pediatric practice we worked with faced this challenge. They needed 40 new exam rooms but loved their location. After evaluating alternatives, they decided to stay once we showed how a flexible design could achieve their goals within budget.

Q. How do you approach large, complex hospital projects?

You can’t look at one issue in isolation. To be successful, you have to understand the entire hospital ecosystem — how every department interacts and what changes will have the greatest overall impact.

For one hospital, our holistic approach led to a multiphase, seven-year project that relocated departments into spaces better suited to their needs. The result was improved flow, enhanced infection control and a better experience for patients, staff and visitors.

Q. Sustainability and net zero are big goals across industries. How realistic are they for hospitals?

It’s a worthy but difficult goal. Many hospitals rely on aging infrastructure — old steam plants and outdated systems — that need significant upgrades before reaching net zero is even possible. We’re helping clients navigate that process, particularly with new energy codes coming into effect.

For organizations that haven’t invested steadily in upgrades, getting there will take time and careful planning. Sustainability goals are great, but the cost and disruption can be overwhelming. The best approach is to make incremental, achievable progress while continuing to deliver high-quality care.

Q. What do you see ahead for health care design?

The future is all about adaptability and resilience.

We’re designing spaces that can evolve with new technologies, medical practices and patient expectations.

Flexible planning and long-term vision allow health care organizations to grow, adapt and continue serving their communities effectively.

At its best, health care design extends beyond the building itself, creating environments that enhance patient care, empower staff and strengthen the connection between health care providers and the communities they serve.

Matt Preston, president, EnviroVantage

Q. Who is EnviroVantage?

We are a New Hampshire-based, self-perform specialty trade partner specializing in the areas of abatement, demolition and environmental remediation. Scott Knightly founded our company in 1985 as a business major at the University of New Hampshire. As EnviroVantage has expanded to be licensed in 37 states and U.S. territories, we’ve proudly maintained our company headquarters in Epping.

Q. How does EnviroVantage bring additional value beyond asbestos abatement?

We have demonstrated the ability to navigate complex project challenges, working hand-in-hand with general contracting partners and environmental consultants. Our expertise expands across the built environment and subsurface to include managing soil and groundwater contamination. In buildings, our trained technicians are HAZWOPER licensed and are equipped to tackle anything from RCRA metals, asbestos, PCBs, and PFAS. Our pre-construction subject matter experts work together with engineers and general contractors to scope out and design remedial action plans while aligning with cost-reduction strategies. We have also invested in a fleet of owned heavy equipment and attachments, which allows us to perform large scale industrial-sized structural takedowns.

Q. How has EnviroVantage continually been successful for over 40 years?

We started in lead abatement, then progressed into asbestos abatement, then moved into select demo, then structural demo, followed by duct cleaning, and now soil and groundwater remediation. Additionally, we have evolved to be a prime contractor for the federal government. Amid this evolution, we have remained true to our roots as a self-perform trade partner while being on the leading edge of industry trends in emerging contaminants and changes in federal regulations.

Q. How is the demolition and remediation industry continuing to evolve?

While some methods are still tried and true, we are embracing new technologies as they evolve. New tools and equipment are taking the industry into more precise, technology-guided approaches to cleanup and demolition. These changes are welcomed, because they will further protect human health and provide increased opportunities for enhanced safety. We are focused on internal development to get our staff trained on these new tools so they can be implemented at job sites as they become available.

Q. Amid evolution in the industry, what does the future hold for EnviroVantage?

As the industry evolves, we have a continued focus on our core business, supporting our general contracting partners with abatement and demolition on construction projects and partnering with the environmental engineering community on budgeting and implementing remedial action plans in the field for their clients.

Q. As you continue to grow, how do you stay committed to the unique needs of NH?

I think it’s two-fold. Firstly, to the general contractors and consultants who rely on us as a trusted trade partner on their project teams, we are committed to serving small projects with a dedicated crew trained in asbestos and mold remediation. Each year, we perform hundreds of residential projects and hundreds of large-scale commercial projects servicing federal, state and local government across diverse markets — including health care, industrial/manufacturing, education, energy and hospitality/commercial mixed use — as well as servicing federal, state and local government projects. Secondly, to our local community where we live and work, we give back through donations to various nonprofits and our state’s flagship post-secondary school, the University of New Hampshire. To support both areas, we have an immense focus on workforce development efforts to ensure local talent is upskilled and retained to continually provide great careers across the state.

Q. What can potential partners expect with EnviroVantage?

EnviroVantage is committed to the highest level of safety standards and professionalism in our industry. With the ability to scale workforce and equipment up and down, we’re able to meet and execute projects of any size under the most rigorous of schedules. You can always reach us in the office at 603-679-9682, or you can visit envirovantage.com to learn more.

Alyssa Murphy, AIA, LEED AP, Placework

Q. Sustainability is becoming more of an expectation than an add-on in construction. How is Placework approaching design that benefits both people and the planet?

We are thrilled that the general awareness of sustainability continues to grow, and that building construction is broadly recognized as a significant leverage point. Unfortunately, sustainability is still commonly understood as an effort to do less bad, and often too narrowly defined as seeking energy efficiency to reduce carbon emissions. But the negative impacts of buildings extend into their effect on local ecology, water systems, material extraction and human health. At Placework, we try to reframe the approach by asking, how we can maximize doing good with buildings? We can make a building highly energy efficient, for example, but can the design of that building transform the way we think about energy, or how we use water?

We are considering the human health impact of our materials, too, not just for the future building occupants but for the people who extract and produce the materials where they are sourced. Being aware of our supply chain and doing our best to ensure we’re making healthy choices throughout the life cycle of a building is also part of our process. Placework approaches every project as an opportunity to move us all in this direction. We actively seek clients whose projects center on community and natural systems alongside their own goals.

Q. Many businesses struggle to balance budget with sustainability goals. What best practices have you developed to help clients achieve high-performance, resilient spaces without overspending?

Good design is our single best practice! There is an old saying: “If you think good design is too expensive, wait until you pay for bad design.” Considering long-term cost is an important parameter of good design.

The most effective and sustainable way to improve your space is to make the most of what you already have. And it’s important to consider any further investment holistically; while we all want to minimize upfront costs, the long-term costs of living in and maintaining a short-sighted construction project can add up to a bad investment. This is especially true as we experience warmer temperatures and more frequent weather events. Designing for the next 50 years looks very different from how we built even 10 years ago, and educating clients about these changes is an important part of our work.

Considering how people will inhabit the space is equally important. For workspaces of any sort, there is a direct line from a space that offers adequate light, air, temperature control, views of the outdoors, etc., that makes people happy and comfortable doing their work. This can directly translate to the bottom line for the business endeavor. So, invest in good planning and design as if it were insurance on any capital investment you make. It is!

Q. What is a recent project you’ve completed that you’re proud of?

We recently won an AIA New Hampshire Merit award for the Gregory J. Grappone Humanities Institute at Saint Anselm College. It’s a great example of institutional stewardship; it transformed an existing building into a new student space to serve the evolving goals of their mission. Preserving a piece of the campus’s history — its original central heating plant — also minimized the need for new building material or site disruption.

For another recent project, we were part of a wonderful collaboration involving a public school district, a community education nonprofit and a land trust. We designed an experiential learning center that advances the mission of each organization while meeting high energy performance standards within a limited budget.

Adapting old buildings for new purposes is one of the most effective sustainability strategies. Multi-stakeholder collaborations are a great strategy for building community through a development project. It is exciting to imagine New Hampshire businesses developing partnerships with nonprofits and community organizations to collaboratively invest in buildings and places to serve them all collectively, as well as their communities.

Tina Chang, PE, LEED AP, TFMoran

Q. How is new development putting pressure on aging infrastructure?

As cities and communities continue to expand with new residential and commercial development, the strain on aging infrastructure becomes increasingly evident. While new construction brings economic growth, housing opportunities and increased tax revenue, it also places added pressure on systems that, in many cases, were not designed to support the pace or scale of today’s development.

Transportation infrastructure is among the most visibly affected. Roads, highways and bridges built decades ago are now handling far greater volumes of traffic from both residents and commercial activity. The added load leads to faster wear and tear, increased congestion and higher maintenance needs. In areas where infrastructure investment has lagged, the risk of deterioration and even failure becomes more pronounced.

Underground, the situation is equally critical. Sewer and water systems, particularly in older neighborhoods and urban centers, were originally constructed for smaller populations and now struggle to keep up. Overloaded lines can result in backups, flooding and environmental hazards, especially during heavy rainfall.

Stormwater management has also become a growing concern. As more land is covered by impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots and rooftops, less rainwater is absorbed naturally into the ground. The result is increased surface runoff that overwhelms aging stormwater systems. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, the risk of flash flooding, erosion and water pollution continues to rise.

Q. What can be done to address these issues?

To support sustainable growth, communities must plan ahead and invest wisely. Comprehensive infrastructure assessments should be part of the development approval process to understand how proposed projects will impact existing systems and what upgrades may be necessary. Collaborative solutions, such as public-private partnerships, allow developers to contribute to improvements that directly benefit their projects while offsetting public costs.

Federal initiatives like the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan offer historic funding for upgrades to transportation, water, sewer and stormwater systems. These programs provide critical support for communities working to strengthen their foundations and prepare for future growth.

At the same time, embracing green infrastructure — such as bioswales, permeable pavement, green roofs and rain gardens — can ease the burden on stormwater systems while improving environmental resilience. With thoughtful planning, strong partnerships and strategic investment, communities can ensure that infrastructure not only keeps pace with growth but is prepared for the challenges ahead.