Markets
Cancer Centers
Engineering partners for complex care environments that balance clinical precision and patient experience
Cancer centers ask a lot of the teams that build them – precise shielding and equipment infrastructure, and reliable, adaptable facilities that run for decades. Salas O’Brien works alongside design teams and healthcare organizations from concept through operation, engineering the systems that let ambitious cancer center designs get built, get approved, and keep working efficiently long after opening day.
Our integrated teams engineer the building systems, infrastructure, and technology behind inpatient and outpatient oncology care that let architects protect their design intent through code review and construction and give administrators facilities that remain reliable and adaptable as treatment technology evolves.
Cancer Centers Projects
Future-ready flexibility for healthcare
Duane Waite, Jeff Cichonski, Khaja Syed, and Jim Norton talk about building resilience into hospital design and the importance of a client-driven process.
Tackling Healthcare’s Toughest Facility Challenges
Salas O’Brien’s latest report delivers actionable insights and practical strategies to help you create safer, more efficient, and patient-centered spaces.
Inside the report:
- Infection control (p.4) – How MEP systems influence the spread of infectious diseases
- Energy solutions (p.8) – Meeting sustainability goals within tight capital budgets, including the role of microgrids (p.10) and geo-exchange (p.14)
- Aging facilities (p.12) – Strategies to modernize and extend the life of existing buildings
- Workplace safety (p.16) – Security solutions to protect healthcare workers
- Noise control (p.20) – Leveraging acoustics to improve healing environments and improve patient surveys
What we can offer
Salas O’Brien provides a wide variety of engineering and technical services to meet the demands of this high-performance sector.
Contact our healthcare teamMechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection
Salas O’Brien’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design team delivers common-sense, integrated design solutions that are cost-effective, reliable, and energy efficient.
Decarbonization & sustainability
Salas O’Brien works with clients to develop and implement strategies that result in higher performance, greater resilience, and produce tangible savings.
Structural
Salas O’Brien’s structural expertise extends from conceptual development and 3D modeling to surveys, investigative studies, and due diligence assessments.
Commissioning
Salas O’Brien’s commissioning/retro-commissioning team specializes in verifying that building systems and equipment perform at their optimum function, helping your facility operate efficiently and reliably.
Civil
Salas O’Brien’s civil engineering team delivers integrated design solutions for industrial, commercial, municipal, and power generation clients.
Technology
Salas O’Brien’s technology design team provides design for data infrastructure, security systems, and audio-video technology.
Physical security
Salas O’Brien has physical security consultants and designers that specialize in the needs of healthcare facilities from risk analysis to electronic security systems.
Acoustics and noise control
Noise is one of the most frequent complaints from hospital patients, often receiving the lowest scores on patient satisfaction surveys. Salas O’Brien helps healthcare facilities tackle this issue through smart design and sound control strategies.
Lighting design
Lighting influences nearly every aspect of the healthcare environment, from patient comfort and recovery to staff performance and safety. Salas O’Brien helps healthcare facilities create effective lighting solutions that enhance the care experience while supporting energy efficiency, operational goals, and long-term flexibility.
Building envelope consulting and testing
Salas O’Brien covers all aspects of building envelope consulting, from design collaboration for new construction to installation oversight during construction. On existing buildings, our expertise also includes in-depth forensic analysis to pinpoint envelope failures, then offering detailed repair and remediation guidance.
Our field-testing services use cutting-edge tools to assess air and water tightness, thermal efficiency, and structural soundness. We have an ISO 17025 accredited lab and are capable of conducting a variety of both lab and field testing procedures following FGIA/AAMA, ASTM and other industry standards. Our team also specializes in energy modeling to boost efficiency and hazardous material sampling for safety. Our comprehensive building envelope commissioning facilitates optimal performance of your building’s envelope, enhancing the functionality of both new and existing structures.
Forensic consulting services
Salas O’Brien performs investigation and analysis of failures, damages, or defects in structures and materials. Our experts determine causation, whether due to natural events like storms, fires, and earthquakes, or human factors such as construction errors or design flaws. We assess the integrity of buildings and other structures, machinery, building systems, and infrastructure, providing detailed reports that are often used in insurance claims, legal disputes, and risk management. Our work helps clients understand the root causes and guides them in making informed decisions about repairs, replacements, and preventive measures.
