HVAC systems for healthcare facilities

In an article on the Consulting-Specifying Engineer website, engineers with healthcare experience offer tips on HVAC systems.

They were asked to describe the unique HVAC requirements that hospitals have that they wouldn’t encounter on other structures.

"Unique HVAC requirements are not confined to hospitals, but this building type does have its share," said J. Patrick Banse, senior mechanical engineer at Smith Seckman Reid in Houston.

"Fully ducted supply air, return air, and exhaust air systems; positive and negative pressure relationships of rooms with required minimum pressure differences to adjacent spaces; air cleanliness through MERV 14 and HEPA filtration; laminar directional airflow in many room types; minimum and maximum velocities relative to patent positions; varying room temperature ranges and relative humidity ranges for various rooms; and increased number of control zones are a few that come to mind."

Read the article.