What Makes Healthcare HVAC Systems Unique
Commercial facilities all have the same basic HVAC and plumbing systems: air conditioning, heating, ventilation, and piping for water and waste. However, healthcare buildings such as hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes have specialized requirements. Proper HVAC design in healthcare settings is crucial to ensure patient safety, comfort, and the prevention of airborne infections. Hospitals have unique mechanical system needs ranging from the type of filters used to special equipment installations. Here’s a look at what makes healthcare HVAC systems unique.
Health of the Building
One of the biggest healthcare HVAC system requirements is infection control. A hospital HVAC system needs to minimize the spread of infections. To provide the cleanest possible air, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration should be used. HEPA filtration keeps pollutants like dust, mold and bacteria from making its way into the indoor air. As a result, HEPA filtration significantly reduces the overall risk for infection to spread to patients, visitors, and hospital staff. It is important to regularly monitor and replace these filters; without proper maintenance, HEPA filters won’t do their job properly. This is why many facilities have a dedicated mechanical service company to conduct regular HVAC maintenance.
Other unique requirements include Air Changes per Hour (ACH) and pressure differentials. High ACH rates ensure frequent air exchange, reducing the concentration of airborne pathogens. Maintaining positive or negative pressure may be required in specific areas (e.g., positive pressure in operating rooms, negative pressure in isolation rooms) to control airflow and prevent cross-contamination.
The design of the healthcare HVAC system should adhere to standards and guidelines from organizations such as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI).
Patient Comfort
As we all know, hospitals are places of healing and recovery. As such, it’s important for healthcare HVAC systems to help keep patients and providers comfortable. Many facilities have transitioned to individual thermostats in each room. Temperature controls in each room allow specific settings where needed (e.g., cooler in operating rooms and warmer in patient rooms) to ensure patient comfort and equipment functionality. In addition, it’s important for the HVAC system in a hospital to operate quietly so patients can rest without noisy disruptions. HVAC companies with healthcare experience and expertise will know how to keep your system quiet!
24/7 Operation
Hospitals don’t come with open hours – they need to be fully operational 24/7. The HVAC system in a hospital needs to run properly day-in and day-out. A reliable system requires regular, scheduled maintenance. Look for a commercial HVAC company that specializes in healthcare facilities. Service professionals with the right experience will know what to look for to identify any potential issues and make recommendations when it’s time to replace equipment.
In addition, it’s important to keep your facility’s system up-to-date. An HVAC service company with healthcare experience will know how to coordinate equipment replacements and shutdowns while keeping your hospital operational. Also, implementing backup systems and redundancy ensures continuous operation of critical HVAC systems during power outages or equipment failures.
Energy Efficiency
It costs a lot of money to keep a hospital running 24/7. Fortunately, with proper building automation and controls, it’s possible to significantly reduce energy usage costs. Partnering with a building controls company to implement best practices in energy efficiency, means you can meet your tight budget. Furthermore, improving your energy efficiency means your equipment and system are running at optimal levels so you can get the most out of your investment!
Healthcare Facility HVAC Company
Healthcare HVAC design requires a multidisciplinary approach to create safe, comfortable, and efficient environments for patients and staff. A mechanical service company can have a direct impact on patient outcomes, so it’s important to work with a team that is knowledgeable about the unique needs of healthcare facilities.
At Metropolitan Mechanical Contractors, we are passionate about the patient experience and are proud to be a part of building healthcare facilities. We install mechanical systems specifically designed to serve sensitive equipment and spaces such as medical gas systems, custom air handling units for operating room air, water treatment systems, and chilled water systems to cool MRI machines. Our certifications include ASHE Healthcare Certificate (ASHE HCC), Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC), and Infection Control & Risk Assessment (ICRA). Contact MMC for all your healthcare HVAC system and service needs!
