In an article which first appeared in print in the March 2012 issue of The Australian Hospital Engineer, based on a presentation given at the Institute of Hospital Engineering Australia’s 2009 National Conference, Scott Wells, energy manager, Engineering & Building Services, at Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital, and Mark Collen, a district account manager, Engineering and Process Development Division, at water treatment specialist, Nalco, discuss how sound, regular, and thorough, maintenance and cleaning of hospital air-handing units will not only enhance their operating efficiency, but will also help reduce airborne infection risk in the healthcare facilities they serve.
They also detail practical measures taken at hospitals in Queensland to reduce the energy consumption of air-handling equipment.
Air-handling units are often forgotten about within a large building or complex. As engineers in healthcare or a related area, our main risk is perceived to be the cooling towers, with their Legionella potential. Air-handling units (AHUs) are both a major health concern, and an opportunity for energy conservation. They receive chilled water from the main cooling centre, and exchange heat drawn from rooms, before then returning this air via filters back to the rooms.
‘Sick building’ syndrome
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