MEP ENGINEERING
HEALTHCARE FACILITIES RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems to reflect changing space and management needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed every industry and especially the healthcare sector. According to the IBISWorld report, Australia had less than 20% of public hospitals equipped with a specialised Intensive Care Unit (ICU) required for looking after the most critically ill patients. NHS England confirmed that up to 20% of affected patients in several hospitals caught the coronavirus within the premises of these facilities, while they were being treated for other diseases.
Hospital General de Latacunga in Ecuador, for example, has a negative pressure room, equipped with solutions from LG Electronics, which allow effective zone pressure control. Multi V, LG's Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system is connected with an Air Handling Unit (AHU) which is fitted with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. The filter removes 99.97% of all airborne particles down to 0.3 μm in size with MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) 17, conforming to global standards. This combination re-conditions and circulates air, maintaining a stringently hygienic environment.
This made people become more aware of not only airborne respiratory illnesess but also the role of hospitals. The pandemic outbreak has posed a significant challenge for healthcare facilities, and life in the post-pandemic world is not going to be the same as before. Changes are taking place in the spatial and management aspects of healthcare facilities to prepare them for the ‘new normal’ after the pandemic.
Spatial reconfiguration Increasing adoption of telehealth will accelerate change in space use. According to a survey conducted by McKinsey, adoption of telehealth in the US skyrocketed from 11% in 2019 to 46% during the pandemic. Updox, a virtual care communication company, found that out of 2,000 US adults, 51% would continue using telehealth services even after the pandemic. Another spatial change to be made is the expansion of negative pressure rooms. Building these rooms is one way in which healthcare facilities are transforming themselves into a pandemic-ready area. A negative pressure room can keep the inside-air pressure lower than the surrounding environment to isolate viruses and reduce the risk of infection. 24
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER October 2020
LG Air Purification Technology.
Indoor air purification panel installed on ceiling
