26: Monika Smith

Monika Smith, Design Director at Apex Design Build, on what no one is talking about in a healthcare project that they should be talking about. Monika shares, "When many of the doctors we serve in private practice decide to build their own practices, they often don't ask themselves the question, 'How will my practice stand out in the marketplace?'" That and more on what's right with healthcare design, what the industry will look like in the year 2040, and one story about what happened when a father/daughter physician team moved offices. Learn more about Monika Smith and Apex Design Build by visiting https://apexdesignbuild.net.   This podcast is brought to you by the award-winning, eco-conscious Porcelanosa -- a global innovator in tile, kitchen and bath products.  Here's something I bet you didn't know about Porcelanosa's wood-look ceramic tile: It looks astonishingly real! Here's why:  In order to get as close to a hard wood look and feel as possible, they digitally analyzed wood from 1500 trees from 26 different countries to replicate the grain, the knots, and the growth rings in the plank sawn, cross sawn, and quarter sawn milling of the logs.  When you combine a wood look with a ceramic body, you get a material that is fire-resistant, extremely hard-wearing, fade-proof, damp-proof, easy to clean, AND… eco-friendly. Because Porcelanosa's PAR-KER Forest Collection starts with 95% recycled material, its production produces 40% less Co2.  Learn more by visiting https://www.porcelanosa-usa.com/. Type into their product search feature the word "PARKER" and hit enter.    Additional support for this podcast comes from our industry partners: • The Center For Health Design • The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design   Learn more about how The Center for Health Design can support your firm by visiting: http://healthdesign.org. Connect to a community interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/.   Featured Product: Porcelanosa has always kept the environment in mind when manufacturing and developing new products – including reducing any emissions and waste created during manufacturing, and introducing the use of recycled materials within the production chain. The firm's latest eco-friendly project is the FOREST series. The series consists of four new PAR-KER® wood porcelain tiles, designed to give a solution to the growing demand in the healthcare industry. The FOREST collection features a few noteworthy traits, such as its durability, ease to clean and maintain, and fade-resistant color. The most interesting factor of the new FOREST Collection is that is created out of over 95% of recycled content. This product is made with a different and recognizable color base to create a competitive advantage with competing materials for the main environmental certifications of buildings. The FOREST Collection can emit up to 40% less CO2 in its production facilitating their inclusion in eco-friendly projects throughout the world. It is both sustainable and eco-friendly, while maintaining the sophistication and warmth you desire for your home, office or commercial setting. Visit Porcelanosa for more information.