The Hague, 29 July 2026 — Deerns has secured a four-year framework agreement with Erasmus University Medical Center, reflecting its leading engineering expertise in the healthcare sector.
Located in Rotterdam, Erasmus MC is the largest university hospital in the Netherlands, with an existing hospital footprint of approximately 200,000 m² and a total campus of around 400,000 m². A new building of approximately 100,000 m² is also planned as part of its ongoing transformation.
“This appointment reflects strong client confidence in Deerns’ collaborative approach and deep experience in healthcare projects, renovation strategies and smart building solutions. The successful tender highlights our ability to combine in-house multidisciplinary capabilities with the flexibility needed to navigate dynamic project requirements and deliver future-ready hospital facilities,” said Eduard Boonstra, Health Care Sector Director, Deerns.
The agreement covers building services engineering for the renovation of existing hospital facilities across one of the Netherlands’ most complex healthcare campuses.
In parallel, Deerns has also secured the building physics scope for a major new building project at Erasmus MC, further expanding its involvement in the hospital’s long term development strategy.
Deerns will work alongside EGM Architecten, one of the Netherlands’ most established healthcare architecture practices, which secured the parallel framework agreement for architectural services.
Early-stage involvement creates maximum value
Over the next four years, the framework agreement will focus on renovation and modernisation projects within the existing hospital estate. One of the most important aspects of the framework agreement is Deerns’ involvement from the earliest project stages.
The scope includes 4 key processes:
- Advisory support during initiation and definition phases
- Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineering
- Smart building integration
- Technical consultation during implementation
Deerns’ multidisciplinary team includes building services engineers, smart building specialists, sustainability and building physics experts, enabling integrated advice from a single partner.
Managing complexity in a live hospital environment
Renovating an operational university hospital presents unique challenges. Unlike greenfield projects, hospital renovation must occur while critical clinical services remain fully operational. This demands strategic thinking and stakeholder alignment.
Departments often need to be relocated temporarily while works take place, requiring careful sequencing and phasing. At Erasmus MC, this challenge is magnified by the scale of the organisation and the complexity of stakeholder engagement.
The hospital operates as a highly specialised ecosystem involving clinicians, nurses, administrators, facilities teams, ICT departments and management – all with legitimate operational priorities.
" Aligning these stakeholders requires careful coordination and structured decision making. Everyone needs to be heard, and reaching decisions requires time, structure and trust.
The dense urban setting of Erasmus MC adds another layer of complexity. With limited physical flexibility on site and high-rise building constraints, space planning becomes a strategic exercise rather than a purely technical one.
A holistic Blue Hospital approach
A key differentiator in Deerns’ approach is the application of its Blue Hospital methodology, which supports long-term decision making through a holistic, data-driven framework.
Rather than treating projects as isolated renovations, Deerns helps clients evaluate interventions against broader campus-wide objectives.
The Blue Hospital approach considers 6 interconnected criteria:
- Patient-centred design
- Healthcare process optimisation
- Staff wellbeing
- Cost efficiency
- Sustainability performance
- Smart technology integration
Focusing on long term value allows the client to make smarter investment decisions, particularly for technologies that deliver maximum impact at building or campus scale and require coordinated planning across multiple budget domains.
Looking ahead
The first confirmed project under the framework agreement is expected to involve a hybrid operating theatre, with additional projects to follow under Erasmus MC’s long term housing plan.
Deerns will help Erasmus MC modernise critical infrastructure while supporting its ambition to remain at the forefront of healthcare delivery, operational efficiency and innovation.
“MEP, smart building and sustainability now play a central role in hospital design. By contributing early and proactively, Deerns can help create real long-term value,” said Boonstra.
As healthcare facilities become increasingly complex, success will depend on more than technical excellence alone. It will require integrated thinking, collaborative leadership and a clear vision for future-ready hospitals – areas where Deerns continues to deliver measurable value.
