Did you know that at least one in 31 hospitalized patients in the U.S. end up getting Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI)?
In fact, HAI accounts for up to 100,000 deaths annually!
Hospital-acquired infections are diseases patients acquire within the hospital, while they’re receiving treatment for other conditions.
Airborne transmission is a major culprit, with data showing that COVID-19 (19.83%) and bronchopneumonia (16.90%) are among the most common HAIs.
But dealing with airborne pathogens doesn’t necessarily mean inflated energy bills and increased emissions from HVAC systems. There’s actually a way to enhance air circulation and quality while curbing climate impact.
Below is an overview of the measures hospitals are already taking to combat hospital-acquired infections while minimizing their climate impact.
1. Smart HVAC Systems Reduce Airborne Pathogens Efficiently
Traditional HVAC systems work at maximum capacity whenever they’re activated. These systems detect when temperatures fall below or go above a particular point. They’re then activated and will continue to work until the maximum pre-programmed point, where they will shut off.
Basically, they’re either on (working at full capacity) or off. The drawback with this is that there’s a lot of energy waste because the systems don’t account for any variables. That’s where a Smart HVAC system comes in.
A Smart HVAC system doesn’t operate with hard starts and stops. Instead, it is connected with other systems, like hospital air quality monitoring, to respond in real-time to ventilation needs. That means the system can self-regulate to adapt to demand and occupancy changes.
It’s a more efficient system that reduces energy waste while making sure there’s optimal ventilation that eliminates airborne pathogens from the facility.
2. UVGI Sanitizes Air to Reduce Energy Demands
Stagnant air allows pathogens to concentrate, thereby increasing the chances of infections. HVAC systems help by moving this air out and pumping fresh air into facilities. Unfortunately, this process can be quite energy-consuming because all the air coming in must be heated or cooled to reach the required temperatures.
UVGI or Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation can be instrumental here. This disinfection technology uses UV-C light to inactivate pathogens by disrupting their DNA. It essentially sanitizes existing air. That means you won’t need to circulate large volumes of air to keep facilities safe from airborne pathogens.
That said, UVGI is a great complement to a smart HVAC system. Not a replacement. The two systems can be extremely effective, especially when you also include HEPA filters. Let’s talk about these filters next.
3. Advanced HEPA Filters for Air Filtration
High-efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters are super effective at capturing particles as small as 0.3 microns. They can filter bacteria and viral droplets from recirculated air. In doing so, HEPA filters allow facilities to reduce energy consumption because they boost the quality of existing air. Basically, it reduces overreliance on HVAC systems to pump in fresh air all the time, without compromising air quality.
But just like UVGI, HEPA filters should be used alongside a smart HVAC system. Combining the three systems produces the best results in lowering energy consumption while making sure the critical areas are pathogen-free and meet the required clinical air standards.
In fact, HEPA has already been proven to be quite effective at reducing the transmission of respiratory infections. An interesting report published in 2023 explained that microorganism concentration in the air drastically reduced when a UK-based hospital, Addenbrookes Hospital, started using HEPA and UV-C devices in its facility. The filtration devices reduced the levels of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including SARS-COV-2, which causes COVID-19.
4. Smart Controls and Zoning
Hospitals should use zoning and smart control to ensure efficient energy consumption based on their unique needs.
Zoning involves identifying the distinct areas or zones in the hospital and their respective needs. Each of these zones will have distinct ventilation and filtration needs. For example, clinical zones like operating rooms and intensive care units have very different ventilation settings compared to offices and storage areas.
After identifying those needs, hospitals can install a smart control system that makes it possible to manage each zone separately. The result is high-quality, pathogen-free air that doesn’t come at the expense of high energy bills and harmful emissions.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — In the photo: Clean air in hospital. Cover Photo Credit: freepik
