About the Certified Healthcare Builder Program

Each participant will be challenged and supported through a mix of presentations, individual assignments, and office hours to ensure assignments are fully understood and completed. As AI eases our access to standards and information, the program is designed to train you to prevent and solve complex problems that AI tools cannot.  This Course Offering Follows the Certified Healthcare Builder 'Standard Structure' during the dates shown.    - Six Week Program Centered Around a Provided Sample Project.    - Six 1.5 Hour Weekly Pre-Recorded Presentations   - Six Assignments/Quizzes to Reinforce Concepts from Presentations   - Six Live Online Weekly Office Hours to Support Trainees with Assignments and Difficult Concepts (Morning and Afternoon Option Available to support different schedules and time zones)   - 20 Hours +/- TOTAL time commitment over the length of the course (2-4 Hours per week)   - Groups of 5-10 may be offered a free upgrade to the 100% live Online version subject to availability (first come/first serve basis for 6 available slots...contact [email protected] to book) Additional available structures other than this standard structure: 1. One Week Fast Tack Option (Online).  Matches the standard structure but with presentations/office hours every day for one week and a self paced module pre-requisite.  Refer to course booking page for fast track availability. 2. Two Day In Person Option with online supplementation before/after to cover the same content.  Contact [email protected] for availability See below for more information on content

Meet Your Instructor, Jake Braford

Jake has led 55 successful Healthcare Renovation turnovers at 12 facilities in 6 different Health Systems in the State of Virginia during his 19 years in the industry.  Jake is passionate about keeping patients safe while maintaining quality and schedule on Healthcare Renovations.  In 2025, Jake was one of 7 national nominees for the prestigious HCA Design and Construction Partnering award.  Jake has led presentations at the 2024 Annual VSHE conference, the HCA Annual Design and Construction Conference, the Advancing Prefabrication in Construction conference, and delivered ICRA 2.0 training at a VSHE meeting.  Jake has transitioned into a full time training role with the Institute for Technical Builders in order to share his passion for patient safety during hospital construction projects.

Real Stories, Real Results

Discover how our program is transforming healthcare builders' careers and projects.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Certified Healthcare Builder course and would highly recommend it to anyone involved in healthcare construction. The amount of valuable information shared was incredible. Jake did an excellent job combining real-world project experiences, lessons learned, and engaging discussions with a deep dive into the technical details and unique complexities of working in active healthcare environments. The course went well beyond general construction practices, exploring the nuances of ICRA requirements, infection prevention, critical building systems, applicable codes, and the risks associated with performing construction in and around active patient care areas. It reinforced just how important it is for everyone involved in healthcare construction to understand not only the requirements themselves, but why they exist and how our decisions and activities can directly impact patient and staff safety. Jake brings an exceptional depth of knowledge and firsthand experience to the course, and his ability to translate complex technical requirements into practical, relatable examples made the material both engaging and incredibly valuable. This is an excellent course for contractors, construction managers, infection control specialists, and anyone responsible for delivering projects in healthcare environments. I cannot recommend it enough!
Mariel Paige

Manager, Construction Management Sentara Health Virginia Beach, VA

This CHB course was very good and had a real impact on how I approach the mechanical side of my projects. As a project manager overseeing plumbing and mechanical work, I appreciated how directly the material applied to what we deal with in the field. The sections on air systems were especially valuable. They covered VFD programming, VAV calibration and K-factors, reading static pressure to pinpoint duct problems, and the proper TAB sequence. The troubleshooting scenarios were realistic and showed what to check before escalating an airflow issue to the engineer, which will save time and frustration on future jobs. The healthcare content on OR turnover requirements, including med gas certification, isolated power, and air change reporting, was also a great addition. The questions were well thought out and pushed me to understand the reasoning behind the answers, not just memorize them. I came away with knowledge I can put to use right away and share with my team. Thank you for putting together such a useful course!
Austin White

EMC Mechanical

Thank you, Jake, it was my pleasure to have the chance to go through the class with you. BRC will be In touch to have more employees attend as we grow. We will highly recommend your class to everyone we know.
Chris Sturrock

Project Executive Broad Reach Construction New York

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I’ve worked with Jake on multiple projects and attended the pilot Certified Healthcare Builder program. As my PX, he demonstrated strong expertise in healthcare renovations. Although he has followed the PM/PX career path, he consistently takes the time to view projects from a superintendent’s perspective, ensuring they are both cost-effective and buildable. I found the CHB program highly valuable and would recommend it to both new employees and seasoned professionals in healthcare construction as a resource to strengthen their builder knowledge.
Christian L.

Lead Superintendent

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As someone who has taken other basic Introduction to Healthcare Construction courses in the past, I found this course to be incredibly valuable from start to finish. It went into much greater detail on topics that other courses seemed to only briefly cover. The content was relevant, informative, and detailed without being too overwhelming. The instructor did an excellent job breaking down complex topics into concepts that were easy to understand and apply in the field. Every lesson felt purposeful and directly connected to real-world healthcare construction. What really sets this course apart is that it goes beyond simply teaching requirements and standards. If you have never worked on a healthcare project, you quickly gain an understanding of how every decision made during construction can impact patient safety, clinical operations, and a hospital's ability to provide care. I also enjoyed how practical and engaging the material was. The real-world examples and scenario-based discussions kept me interested and made it easy to connect the lessons to situations I've encountered on previous hospital projects. Whether you're new to healthcare construction or already have experience working in hospital environments, the information provided is extremely valuable and immediately applicable.
Tyler Gagnon

Assistant Project Superintendent WM Jordan

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Beyond amazing presentations, examples, and group discussions! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with the younger builders in the industy!
Ahmed Elshazly

Project Manager - DPR ConstructionTampa, FL

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The class was very relevant to current health care projects. I am a seasoned Senior General Superintendent and I learned some new things and new ways to apply them to my construction projects.
Phillip Norman

Jacksonville, FL

Jake's work content is nothing short of oustanding.  He approaches each task with meticulous attention to detail and a drive for excellence, ensuring that results consistently exceed expectations.  His ability to handle complex assignments and adapt to changing demands speaks volumes about his professionalism and expertise...I wholeheartedly recommend Jake Braford for any opportunity, confident that he will continue to excel and positively impact those around him.
Robert Belcher

Operations Manager Gilbane

Module 1 - Intro to Healthcare Construction

- Patient Safety at the Core of Each Section - Understanding of owner needs including patient safety/satisfaction - Review of Sample Project and Introduction to all MEP systems - Assignment: Self Review of MEP Systems (Links will be provided)

Module 2 - Infection Prevention in Renovations

Importance of Infection Prevention during Construction Projects - Overview of ICRA Standards and ICRA Plans - Deep Dive on ICRA Barriers, Negative Air Machines, and Best Practices - Assignment: Develop ICRA Plan including drawings/calculations

Module 3 - Cut/Cap/Make Safe/Demolition

- Infection Prevention during the potentially dangerous demolition phase - Pitfalls to look out for during cut/cap/make safe - Communications/Coordination with the Hospital during this critical phase - Assignment: Develop a utility interruption checklist and conduct a phasing review

Module 4 - Architectural and Structural

- Infection Prevention associated with architectural and structural assemblies - Lessons learned with unique architectural/structural assemblies in Healthcare - Assignment: RTU Steel and Occupied Corridor Finishes Schedule

Module 5 - MEP Systems

- Basics of Controls, Air Handling Units, and other mechanical systems - Basics of Electrical components and Coordination Studies - Low voltage systems - Assignment: Develop an MOP for the RTU Tie In

Module 6 - TAB, Commissioning, and Closeout

- Infection prevention as you finish a phase - TAB, Commissioning, and Closeout Overview - Assignment: Final Assessment to Verify Understanding of all concepts

Immersive Learning Experience

Challenging yet supportive program with a mix of presentations, assignments based on a sample project, and personalized support to train builders to protect patients and staff during construction and for the life cycle of hospital renovations.

Live Support from Instructor

Certified Healthcare Building Trainings feature presentations and live office hours to ensure trainees remain supported and engaged through all six modules.

Patient Safety Focus

Infection Prevention goes well beyond barriers and negative air machines.  The CHB program also incorporates life cycle infection prevention into cut/cap/make safe/demolition, architectural, structure, MEP, TAB, and Commissioning.

Program Curriculum

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Ready to Transform Your Healthcare Construction Skills?

Enroll now to access expert-led sessions, personalized assignments, and practical training that will elevate your healthcare renovation capabilities.  Group discount codes available! If the standard course structure available doesn't meet your group's needs, contact Jake Braford for alternative program structures and a custom course can be created for your group.