Why Healthcare Construction Can’t Wait For Labor Market To Catch Up

Trends Why Healthcare Construction Can’t Wait For Labor Market To Catch Up Construction teams can address MEP trade shortages through training, BIM, prefabrication, and collaborative delivery models. Published: March 3, 2026By Jamie Shipman and Jon Wood Frampton Construction View Gallery Jamie Shipman (Image credit: Frampton Construction) As the U.S. population ages and more Americans, particularly older adults, migrate to the Southeast for warmer climates and lower costs of living, demand for healthcare facilities is rising rapidly. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) AgeLab, a research institute focusing on improving the quality of life for older people, projects that the 65+ population will increase by roughly 40 percent over the next 25 years, driving the need for additional hospital beds, outpatient centers, and specialty clinics. Health systems are responding by expanding ambulatory networks, upgrading aging campuses, and addressing long-deferred infrastructure needs. Jon Wood (Image credit: Frampton Construction) Meeting that demand is becoming increasingly difficult as the construction industry faces persistent labor shortages, particularly in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) trades. Associated Builders and Contractors, a national construction industry trade association, estimates the construction industry will need nearly 500,000 additional workers this year to meet growing construction volume, with MEP roles ranking among the hardest positio...