Warm ... warmer ... your veterinary design idea's red-hot!

July 25, 2017

Heather E. Lewis, AIA, NCARB

Heather Lewis, AIA, NCARB, is a partner at Animal Arts, an architecture firm in Boulder, Colorado and frequent HospitalDesign360 conference speaker. She's a lighting geek and a (seriously) devoted advocate of minimizing pets' stress and anxiety during their veterinary visits. She has designed practices and shelters that range in size from 1,200 square feet to 110,000 square feet. During grad school (as a break from architorture) she trained miniature horses to pull carts!

... or it will be if this dvm360 reader gets the electric radiant flooring she wants. Veterinary architect and Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Conference educator Heather Lewis, AIA, tells her whether it's a good idea.

This is NOT an accurate representation of electric radiant heated flooring. It's actually perfectly safe. (Getty Images)Q. I'm contemplating whether to install a heated floor in my large-dog recovery area. What I'm considering are the thermostat-controlled floor heaters typically used in bathrooms that are installed under the floor tiles. Is this a good idea?

A. "Yes, electric radiant flooring is fine, just like the kind you put in a bathroom," says architect Heather Lewis, AIA. "I've done that frequently in the past in animal facilities. Just be sure to place a pad under dogs on the floor in recovery so they're not directly on the surface. That will help distribute heat and ensure the dog doesn't overheat."

Heather Lewis, AIA, NCARB, is a partner at Animal Arts, an architecture firm in Boulder, Colorado.

Got a burning question about veterinary hospital design for the Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Conference educators? Email us at ve@ubm.com, and we might be able to get your question answered. And, of course, you're always welcome to get your answers in person at the conference, which runs just before CVC Kansas City every year.