Since airborne pathogens can rapidly spread in hospital environments, ventilation resiliency is critical and necessary to prevent wider outbreaks of infectious diseases that can spread through coughs and sneezes, from the common cold to measles, meningitis, whooping cough and COVID-19.
It was during the recent pandemic that concerns about airborne transmission of COVID-19 highlighted the importance of maintaining clean and well-ventilated air, not only in healthcare facilities but also in schools, stores, offices and other public spaces, especially buildings.
This is why hospital ventilation systems are designed to remove airborne contaminants – like bacteria, fungi and viruses – to maintain overall indoor air quality, which remains a top priority in these and other environments. Some healthcare systems have even mandated 100 percent outside air for their facilities, because fresh air helps reduce the airborne spread of viruses and bacteria, which can flourish in warm and humid indoor environments.
In addition to enhancing overall indoor air quality, outside air aids in the healing process for patients by reducing and even eliminating the spread of airborne diseases that might be present within the hospital.
Some healthcare systems mandate 100 percent outside air to reduce airborne spread of the viruses and bacteria that flourish in warm and humid indoor environments.
Questions Healthcare Professionals Must Ask
WSP is at the forefront of understanding how to better design these critical spaces because the firm has been providing these services to healthcare providers for decades.
“Even before the COVID pandemic, we were able to isolate different floors in different areas of a hospital, whether to address specific seasonal health concerns or just different viruses in general,” said April Woods, senior vice president and Florida building systems director at WSP. “How am I preparing my facility for the next pandemic? How is my facility being proactive rather than reactive. These are some of the questions forward-thinking healthcare professionals are asking themselves today.”
When it comes to providing ventilation services to healthcare facilities, WSP advocates an approach that’s focused on education, resilience and life cycle cost considerations.
“While ventilation may be part of the mechanical-electrical-plumbing (MEP) design for many firms, WSP actively educating clients on how the right design can ensure resilient ventilation systems,” Woods said. “Success requires a commitment beyond the conventional approach that takes into account factors that contribute to the long-term effectiveness of the system. By providing information on both the initial and life cycle costs associated with a proposed ventilation solution, owners are empowered to make informed decisions that align with the specific operational needs of healthcare facilities.”
Through education, resilience and a comprehensive understanding of life cycle costs, clients are ensured that their ventilation systems exceed the expectations of the healthcare industry.
Optimum design of ventilation in critical spaces within a healthcare facility includes the isolation of different floors in different areas of a hospital to address specific concerns.
Changing Needs in Healthcare
WSP is currently working on nearly three million square feet of new healthcare facility construction, the firm also spends a lot of time on hospital renovations and upgrades to meet current requirements and to ensure properties are Future Ready®.
"Some of these hospitals are in buildings that are 100 years old or more, so a lot of our projects are focused on keeping the main campuses functioning and ensuring that they meet current building codes and regulations,” Woods said.
Many facilities are also focused on renovations to enhance their services so they can generate more revenue, whether it’s additional women’s services, orthopedics, behavioral health or other specialty needs.
At the same time, other hospital services have shifted because healthcare providers have become more outpatient-focused, thanks to the development and expansion of telehealth and the increasing growth and availability of more outpatient and wellness services.
“It’s become ‘How can we enable communities to take better care of themselves, so they don’t have to go to the doctor or a hospital as often,’” Woods added.
WSP spends a lot of time working on hospital renovations and upgrades to meet current requirements and to ensure properties are Future Ready®.
Overcoming the Challenge of Carbon Emissions
If tackling COVID-19 and improving hospital ventilation wasn’t demanding enough, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the White House, has added another challenge.
In 2022, HHS called on the healthcare industry to reduce its carbon emissions. The voluntary pledge asks signees to commit to a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050 – at a minimum.
“This is the top issue hospitals are facing today,” Woods said. “While many industries have taken steps to lower their carbon footprints, U.S. healthcare facilities have been slower to act against the harmful impacts of climate change.”
It’s estimated the healthcare sector is responsible for 8.5 percent of U.S. carbon emissions.
“It might take states years or even decades to meet their obligations toward all-electric hospitals, but some states are making progress,” she added. “For example, WSP was part of the design-build team for the first all-electric hospital in the country. It included the complete elimination of natural gas usage and the addition of electrification solutions throughout the facility, as well as heating systems for humidification and sterilization purposes.”
Concerns and Opportunities
WSP continues to design innovative and effective solutions for healthcare providers across the country and around the world, and one of the biggest topics of discussion within the healthcare community today is the rise in inflation-fueled construction costs.
Cost is also a widely held concern among the public. Most people will avoid an ambulance ride, if possible, simply because of what it will cost them.
Today, many are also looking at healthcare differently. COVID drove the expansion and wider acceptance – by doctors and patients – of telehealth medicine and other remote healthcare services. By 2023, North America was the largest telemedicine market in the world with 33.5 percent share. It’s forecast to reach over $286 billion by 2030.
“Right now, everybody’s focus is on the money and how they are going to afford these projects and upgrades,” Woods said. “If hospitals sign the HHS pledge, they are talking about decarbonization, but their concern is the increased cost required to make that happen.”
Because of this, finding efficient ways to minimize long-term costs for critical and required systems within a medical facility remains a top priority for WSP and its clients.
“While WSP is committed to finding cost-effective ways to keep that bottom-line as low as possible, we know it must be done without making any sacrifices to the safety and well-being of the workers and patients in a hospital,” Woods added. “Fortunately, our experience has led us to find solutions that have enabled us to achieve this objective for our clients.”
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