Hotel2Hospital (H2H)

When faced with the question, “How quickly can we transform a hotel into a hospital?” GH Phipps responded with innovation, expertise, and collaboration. As part of the Hotel2Hospital (H2H) demonstration project, our team worked alongside industry partners to explore rapid-deployment solutions that convert hospitality spaces into fully functioning patient care units—without compromising safety, functionality, or speed.

This proof-of-concept initiative focused on evaluating construction strategies for key hospital systems, including headwalls, flooring assemblies, and medical gas piping. The team developed full-scale headwall mockups early in the design phase to streamline coordination and functionality. Four flooring systems were tested for speed of installation, durability during short-term hospital use, and reversibility back to hotel conditions—with direct-adhered vinyl over concrete emerging as the preferred solution. In parallel, three real-world medical gas piping methods were evaluated for safety, efficiency, and adaptability: traditional copper brazing, MedLok compression fittings, and MediTrac flexible corrugated tubing. These trials offered valuable insight into balancing speed, safety, and practicality during emergency conversions, with all installations performed by certified medical gas professionals.

Looking Forward

The H2H project wasn’t just a test—it was a step toward redefining how the built environment can flex to meet community needs. By exploring multiple system combinations and documenting real-time lessons learned, GH Phipps continues to lead in developing construction solutions that are as adaptable as they are dependable.