HVAC for hospitals and healthcare
In healthcare, ventilation controls infection, protects patients and staff, and can’t simply be switched off for maintenance. We design, test and verify HVAC systems built for those demands.
When you need it
- A healthcare space is being built or renovated.
- Isolation or procedure rooms need their pressure relationships verified.
- An accreditation, infection control review or incident calls for documentation.
- Systems are aging and must be upgraded without interrupting care.
What we do
Plan around care
We work with facilities and infection control staff to schedule work so patient areas stay protected.
Design or assess
We design systems to CSA Z317.2, or assess existing systems against it.
Test
We measure air change rates, pressure relationships, filtration, temperature and humidity in critical areas.
Verify and document
We document results for your facility, infection control team and accreditation.
What you receive
- Air change and pressure relationship results by room
- A comparison with CSA Z317.2 requirements
- Deficiencies and corrective actions
- Documentation for infection control and accreditation
Questions
How can systems be tested without shutting down?
Most testing is measurement under normal operation. Where adjustments are needed, they’re planned with infection control and done area by area.
Why is room pressure so important?
Pressure controls which way air moves between rooms. Airborne isolation rooms are kept negative to keep contaminants in, while operating rooms and protective environments are kept positive to keep them out.
Is there more savings potential in a 24/7 building?
Usually. Healthcare buildings run around the clock, so every efficiency improvement pays back every hour, as long as it never compromises required air changes and pressures.
Further reading
- Displacement ventilation in commercial spaces
Learn the principles of displacement ventilation, which spaces benefit most, the key design parameters and the limitations designers must plan around.
- Airborne infection control in commercial HVAC
Learn the layered HVAC measures that reduce airborne transmission of infectious aerosols, how ASHRAE Standard 241 frames them, and how to apply them in offices, schools and other non-healthcare buildings.
- Humidification in cold climates
Learn why indoor air gets so dry in Canadian winters, which buildings genuinely need humidification, how steam and adiabatic humidifiers compare, and how to set humidity limits that protect the building envelope.
- UV germicidal irradiation in air systems
Learn how ultraviolet germicidal irradiation inactivates microorganisms, where it is effective in HVAC systems, and the design, safety and maintenance issues that decide whether it works.
- Hospital pharmacy compounding rooms (USP 797 and 800)
Learn how USP 797 and 800 and the NAPRA model standards shape HVAC design for hospital and community pharmacy compounding rooms, and what certification involves.
- Hospital isolation room airflow control with air valves
Learn how air valves are applied to airborne infection isolation and protective environment rooms, how to handle anterooms and mode switching, and what to verify.
Related services
Also in HVAC design and design-build: New HVAC design, HVAC design-build, High-efficiency HVAC upgrades, Building automation and BACnet integration, Restaurant and commercial kitchen HVAC, Data center cooling design, Cleanroom HVAC design, Critical airflow control and air valves.
Get a quote for healthcare HVAC
Tell us about the building and what you need. We’ll be in touch within one hour.