AHC Spring 2025 | Sustainable Horizons: Advancing Healthcare Design for a Greener Future
Join the Architecture for Health Committee (AHC) for the annual AHC Spring Conference!
As healthcare facilities work toward a more sustainable future, the adoption of clean energy and resilient design presents both opportunities and challenges. This conference will explore how healthcare systems can integrate sustainability while balancing operational demands, financial constraints, and regulatory requirements. Through expert insights and real-world case studies, we’ll examine the technologies, policies, and strategies driving greener, more efficient healthcare environments.
This program is presented by AIA Seattle’s Architecture for Health Committee. Please contact Anthony Collins with any questions or concerns.
SCHEDULE
Friday, May 30, 2025
8:00am – 3:30pm | Conference – Hyatt at Olive 8 – 1635 8th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Map, Parking + Transportation
*Speakers and sessions are subject to change.
COST
Includes continuing education credit (6 LU/ HSW) + light breakfast, lunch, and refreshments.
$150.00 AIA Member/Corporate Allied Partner (CAP)/Allied Member
$150.00 Government
$100.00 AIA Associate Member
$225.00 Non-Member
$60.00 Student/Emeritus
Want to learn more about the reduced ticket rate and other benefits associated with membership? Visit our membership pages to learn more about the benefits of joining AIA Seattle.
SPEAKERS
Keynote Speaker: Heather Brownlow, Capital Project Manager, Harborview Medical Center | Heather Brownlow is a Capital Project Manager focusing on infrastructure at Harborview Medical Center. She is a registered Professional Engineer and has 15 years of experience in mechanical engineering consulting. She passed the LEED v3 Associated Professional exam and has worked on a multitude of projects focusing on sustainability and energy efficiency. After joining Harborview in 2022, her focus has been planning infrastructure for largescale projects and incorporating the principals of redundancy, reliability, and sustainability.
Keynote Speaker: Juan Escalante, Assistant Hospital Administrator of Essential Services, Harborview Medical Center | Juan Escalante serves as the Assistant Hospital Administrator of Essential Services at Harborview Medical Center, where he oversees Environmental Services, Nutrition and Food Services, and leads environmental sustainability initiatives. For over 20 years, Juan has been an advocate for sustainability by implementing waste reduction programs for major organizations such as the San Diego Padres and Seattle Seahawks. After transitioning to healthcare, he continued driving meaningful change by developing a Sustainability in Healthcare program, launching green initiatives for hospital service teams, and advancing system-wide efforts at Harborview and UW Medicine. Juan currently leads innovative projects focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from anesthetic gases and converting food waste into energy through anaerobic digestion—demonstrating his commitment to environmental stewardship in healthcare operations.
Aimee Chan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Design Principal, SmithGroup |Aimee’s dual background in sociology and architecture informs her passion for crafting spaces that enhance the human experience. By combining patient-centered care, holistic biophilic design, and sustainable principles, she creates environments that spark emotions, inspire well-being, and prioritize people. Through projects like 48X, Aimee seamlessly integrates sustainable design and community-focused elements, crafting vibrant spaces that benefit individuals and communities while fostering a deeper connection to their surroundings.
Andy Drissell, Project Architect/Designer/Medical Planner, Mahlum | Andy approaches architecture with curiosity, seeing each project as an opportunity to enhance community well-being. Since joining Mahlum in 2015, he has led healthcare and K-12 projects, bringing expertise in design, medical planning, and stakeholder coordination. Passionate about research-driven design, he fosters collaboration across Mahlum’s studios and engages community members and experts. His work on circadian lighting in healthcare was featured in Medical Construction & Design magazine. Andy holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Kansas and is a registered architect in Washington, an ACHA Board-Certified healthcare architect, EDAC-certified, and a LEED-Accredited Professional.
Jackie Lee, AIA, WELL AP, Principal, SmithGroup | Jackie has nearly a decade of experience in healthcare architecture. Her knowledge of prefab construction, building systems and construction types, and design-build delivery have been invaluable in the successful execution of the UC Davis Health 48X Complex, emphasizing an accelerated schedule and speed-to-market delivery. Jackie brings a mix of experience from medical office buildings, senior living, and cancer care centers, offering a unique perspective to each project she leads.
Marshall Andrews LEED AP, TRUE Advisor, Northwest Sustainability Leader, SmithGroup | With over 15 years of experience, Marshall Andrews has displayed a talent and passion for sustainability. He has helped develop in-house estimating tools to calculate the Return on Investment (ROI) for various levels of LEED certification early in the design process, led educational efforts preparing DPR’s employees to test and receive the LEED AP and TRUE AP certifications, and developed company programs to support zero waste, electrification, and carbon accounting. His diverse onsite project experience includes sustainable construction for colleges, offices, hospitals, biopharmaceuticals, and data centers, including an AIA COTE Top 10 award. As the Northwest Sustainability Leader, Marshall’s early integration has been key for the successful execution between various design and construction disciplines.
Ray Swartz, PE/MIES/IEEE, Senior Vice President, Regional Business Line Leader, WSP | With 39 years of industry experience, Ray’s responsibilities include the leadership of all WSP Property & Buildings staff in the West and design operations and production activities. In addition, Ray acts as the Principal in Charge and the project’s Electrical Engineer of Record for all projects within his purview. Ray was the Electrical Engineer of Record (EOR) of the CUP all-electric, LEED Platinum-rated, 580,000 square foot UCI ICMC hospital project in southern California – one of the first of its kind in the United States.
Andy Reed, PE, LEED AP, Technical Director, Mechanical Engineering, WSP | Andrew (Andy) Reed has 38 years of experience integrating HVAC systems for building design across various sectors, including healthcare, higher education, commercial, civic, federal, correctional facilities, and hospitality. He has managed projects from the initial planning stages to the final construction support services. Andy was the Mechanical Engineer of Record (EOR) of the CUP all-electric, LEED Platinum-rated, 580,000 square foot UCI ICMC hospital project in southern California – one of the first of its kind in the United States.
*Additional speakers to-be-announced. All speakers are subject to change.
ACCESSIBILITY
- Venue: The forum will be held at Hyatt at Olive 8 – 1635 8th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101. Learn more about accessibility at the Hyatt at Olive 8 here.
- Parking/Transportation: Learn more about parking/transportation options for the Hyatt Regency Portland here.
- Covid Parameters: AIA Seattle strongly encourages masking to demonstrate community care.
If you would like to discuss physical or cognitive access needs for this program, please make a note in your registration form or e-mail Senior Coordinator of Member Engagement, Anthony Collins. If you require specific accommodations to attend this program, please notify Anthony Collins by Friday, May 9th. We will work to the best of our ability to address accommodation requests received after this date.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Participants will learn about the opportunities and challenges incorporating sustainable design practices when planning public and private healthcare facilities.
- Participants will learn about infrastructure and operational environmental stewardship of private/public healthcare facilities and systems.
- Participants will learn how building reuse, renovation, additions and new construction can help retain existing building assets for a more sustainable future.
- Participants will hear a panel discussion of lessons learned when designing/constructing clean energy projects and utilizing sustainable design practices.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR 2025 AHC SPONSORS
EBD Services | Sellen Construction | Stantec | Aldrich + Associates | Coughlin Porter Lundeen
GLY Construction | P2S, Inc. | PCS Structural Solutions | UMC, Inc.
Arup | Cosentino | LPD Engineering PLLC | PAE | Säzän Group
SPECIAL THANKS TO ARCHITECTURE FOR HEALTH COMMITTEE
Join the Architecture for Health Committee!
The Architecture for Health Committee (AHC) is a Pacific Northwest committee of individuals who are interested in healthcare architecture and the effort to improve the quality of planning, operation, design and construction of health care facilities. The diverse membership brings together architects and related disciplines interested in the development and practice of design excellence three times per year for a day of sessions and tours.
AHC Board Co-Chairs:
Jim Wolch AIA
Kelly Chanopas AIA
Check out AIA Seattle’s other Professional and Member Committees to participate in programs, events, and forward-thinking conversations.
Program, Registration, or Credit Questions?
Contact AIA Seattle Senior Coordinator of Member Engagement Anthony Collins.
Sponsorship Questions?
Contact AIA Seattle Executive Director Melissa Neher.
