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5 key reasons air conditioning in hospitals is so important

sharon@kangaroouk.com (Sharon Keevins) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:44:24 GMT

5 key reasons air conditioning in hospitals is so important

It is easy to forget the air we breathe plays a central role in our health and wellbeing that’s why air conditioning in hospitals and other healthcare settings is so important.

In the unique setting of a hospital, temperature control takes on a different level of

significance. Filled with vulnerable patients as well as huge numbers of staff and visitors, hospitals across London and the UK are busy environments that must meet many different needs.

Whilst keeping vulnerable patients of all ages safe and well, hospitals must also ensure

climate control is comfortable and can be manipulated for many different purposes.

As a result, air conditioning in hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, medical laboratories and

other healthcare setting across London and the UK must be designed and maintained to an extremely high standard.

As you would expect, any hospital air conditioning must also adhere to numerous legal

requirements and recommendations. Precision air conditioning, Air Handling Units (AHUs) and smart controls are all essential tools in any hospital air conditioning system.

Here are the 5 key reasons why air conditioning in hospitals is so important.

Why air conditioning in hospitals is important:

Consistent temperature : When we are ill, our bodies are highly sensitive to any change in temperature. In fact, a drastic fluctuation in our body temperature is often one of the main ways we know we are ill. That’s why maintaining a consistent temperature in a hospital environment is so important. Whether it is a sunny day or a cold windy evening, hospital staff need to know thei critically ill patients of all ages won’t be affected by temperature changes in the external environment.

From premature babies to patients with weak immune systems, those in intensive care and others who are elderly, hospital staff have a duty to ensure their patients are protected, safe and comfortable at all times.

Yet, it is not just patients that are affected by changes in temperature in a medical

environment. There are also drugs and medical equipment that can be adversely

affected if not kept at a consistent temperature.

2. Clean environment: Although hospitals are a sensitive environment, it is easy to

forget how many people come in and out of hospitals every day. Whether visitors,

staff or patients entering or exiting the hospital, hospitals are busy hubs of activity

and that means plenty of germs.

Hospital-quality air conditioning makes it possible for harmful germs, bacteria, spores

and unwanted odours to be quickly removed from the air and kept away from the

hospital community.

At the same time, these superior air conditioning systems use strong filtration and

robust air flow capacity to bring in significant quantities of fresh, clean air at the same

time.

3. Protect community: With so many people concentrated together in one place, most

of whom are seriously ill, the degree of pathogens in the air in any hospital is very

high.

Hospital air conditioning systems are incredibly well designed, super efficient and

easy to clean. In line with numerous regulations, any hospital air conditioning must

deliver outstanding levels of filtration and be constructed so it is really easy to

dismantle and clean safely.

In particular, it must be possible to detach and clean the duct network thoroughly,

following national procedures, to make sure harmful dirt and germs that build up in

these areas are removed safely.

The system you choose must legally be robust enough to guarantee the high levels

of external air intake, airflow control and filtration that is critical to the safety of the

hospital environment.

Legal documents such as the Infection Control Standard of HBN 00-09 and the

Health Memorandum dictate clear standards that must be followed to ensure any

hospital air con system adequately removes and prevents the spread of all bacteria,

spores and germs.

4. Climate control: To further complicate the issue, hospitals serve a multitude of

differing medical needs. Hospital air conditioning makes it possible for hospital staff to maintain different temperatures in different places.

For example, a neonatal unit needs to be kept at a different temperature to an

operating theatre or an infectious diseases unit. With hospital air con it is possible to

achieve, monitor and control these competing needs.

For example staff can:

use smart controllers to precisely manage climate control in different rooms and areas.
request bespoke designs to minimise draughts and air speeds.
create schedules for varying times of the day or contexts.
monitor temperatures and receive an alert if there are any issues within the system.
This is really important because a change in temperature or fault in the system could have devastating consequences.
keep track of when the system next needs cleaning.
control energy costs and energy use.

5. Maintain air quality: Effective filtration in hospitals is incredibly important. Hospital

air conditioning systems make it possible for hospitals to maintain the high standards

of air quality necessary for such a sensitive environment.

High efficiency or HEPA filters in hospital air conditioning systems ensure the air

quality inside the hospital is kept at the safe levels it needs to be for the health and

safety of the entire hospital community.

With a superior, bespoke hospital air conditioning system it is possible to prevent

pathogens and odours from circulating and spreading. Without this, patients wouldn’t

get well and hospitals couldn’t be the safe sanctuaries they are now.

When we visit a hospital, it is easy to take the good air quality inside these huge,

enclosed spaces for granted. Yet without hospital air conditioning this wouldn’t be the

case.

With the advanced and strong air conditioning available for medical environments we

ensure the entire hospital community are able to enjoy a safe, clean and pleasant

environment without worry.

For a bespoke, hospital-grade air conditioning system for your healthcare provision, get in touch with us today. We are experienced providers of air conditioning for healthcare providers including, hospitals, GP surgeries, the NHS, dentists, clinics and other healthcare

provision across London and the South East.

Call us today on 01895 540 565 or visit our home page now.

INS AHUs benefits for hospitals

sharon@kangaroouk.com (Sharon Keevins) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:32:40 GMT

Why hospitals use Air Handling Units (AHUs)

Of all the places that must be kept clean and safe, a hospital is unlike any other. With

vulnerable patients to protect as well as visiting loved ones and dedicated staff, the air

quality inside a hospital environment must be maintained to an exceptional standard.

An Air Handling Unit can help you to ensure your hospital environment is as clean and safe as possible.

Enhancing the capabilities of your hospital air conditioning system, an air handling unit will deliver the powerful cleaning performance you need to guarantee a hygienic environment for your patients, staff and visitors.

Let’s take a look at what an AHU can do for your healthcare provision in more detail:

What is an Air Handling Unit (AHU)?

An Air Handling Unit (AHU) works as part of your hospital air conditioning system. It is used to boost the performance of commercial HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation and Cooling systems) by raising the system’s cleaning capabilities.

Connected to the ductwork in your air conditioning system, the AHU enables large quantities of air from outside the building to be thoroughly cleaned for use within the system, providing optimum air quality and promoting good patient health.

AHUS can be used to both heat and cool air.

A FAHU (Fresh Air Handling Unit) only uses air from outside. However in some cases

businesses choose to mix fresh air with low ratios of re-circulated air in certain rooms to

save energy. You can also get RTUs (Rooftop Units) which are AHUs that are kept on the

roof.

AHUs are sometimes called air handlers. You can find your air handler by the ductwork,

most often in basements. AHUs look like a big metal box from the outside. Inside, the box is insulated and contains a network of ventilators, cooling and heating systems, air filters, a mixing chamber and dampers.

What does an Air Handling Unit do?

An air handling unit provides the enhanced air quality and climate control you need in your hospital to maintain patient health and promote recovery.

Delivering enhanced levels of filtration, the AHU will ensure all harmful pollutants and

pathogens are removed from the air before it is passed though the heating or cooling coil and circulated round your hospital.

The air handling unit will also ensure air flow is precise and moving at an efficient speed, in the right direction, to prevent contamination.

How often should an Air Handling Unit be cleaned?

All hospital air conditioning units must be kept in top working order to ensure air quality remains at the highest level so it is really important that regular services and maintenance are carried out.

Your air handling unit will need to be serviced on a regular basis. You will find that parts will need to be cleaned from time to time to ensure the air in circulation remains pure and safe, otherwise you will be circulating dirty air through the hospital.

In particular, the inside of the temperature coil, the fan and other parts that are contained within the system are all prone to getting dirty .

The all-important filter will need to be changed and you may also find your air handling unit requires treatment to prevent condensation. With the filters inside your unit working hard tocollect dirt and debris, it is really crucial that keep your filter clean.

In addition to contaminating the air, dirty filters will reduce the performance of your air

handling unit as well as its energy efficiency capabilities.

People often ask how often they should change the filters within their air handling unit. It’s a difficult question because there are so many different types.

Therefore there is no set period within which you should change your filters. The manual that accompanies your AHU will specify the recommended lifespan of your filters.

In general, because of the important work they do, it is best to schedule regular maintenance and servicing. Filters will get dirty at different times so it is important to keep on top of things to ensure you remain in line with all compliance because any presence of dirty filters will lower the quality of the air in your system.

Additionally, don’t assume that the filters in a higher grade system will last longer. Better

performance may mean your filters need cleaning more often due to the amount of work they are able to do.

If your system is recirculating air in some places this will also usually mean the air filter

needs to be cleaned more often.

Air Handling Unit Servicing and Repairs, London

Working across Ruislip, London, Essex, Slough and other parts of the South East, we carry out installation, maintenance and servicing for all types of hospital air conditioning systems, including air handling systems.

From filter cleaning for hospital air conditioning systems to regular servicing and one-off repairs, we have worked for a wide range of hospi tals and healthcare providers across London and the South East, including the NHS.

We can provide all types of air conditioning services. Whether you need an air handling unit serviced or installed or want to talk about getting a bespoke, hospital-grade air conditioning system for your provision, get in touch with our expert team today.

As experienced providers of air conditioning across the healthcare sector, we have the

specialist knowledge required to work in hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, clinics and all

other healthcare settings. Call our friendly team today on 01895 540 56 5 or visit our home page now.

INS Air Quality

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:12:05 GMT

How the WELL Building Standard affect your air conditioning design

With air conditioning systems intended to enhance the wellbeing of the inhabitants of any building, the introduction of the WELL Building Standard for air quality in international building design, has a direct impact on the construction of your air conditioning system.

For hospitals, GP surgeries, the NHS, dentists, clinics and other healthcare provision across London and the UK, air quality has always been of critical importance to the care of their patients, visitors and staff.

As air quality moves further and further up the global agenda, the responsibility to design buildings that promote the highest standards of air quality for the wellbeing of their inhabitants and the environment is greater than ever.

Whether you are thinking about the design of an air conditioning system for a healthcare

provider, domestic setting or commercial building, let’s take a look at what the WELL

Building Standards are and how they could shape the creation of your air conditioning

system.

What is the WELL Building Standard?

The WELL Being Standard was established by the International WELL Building Institute in 2014. The purpose of the standard is to promote the creation of buildings, internal spaces and communities that elevate the people that use them, with a specific focus on how the

building contributes to health and wellness. The WELL Building Standard has created a way for buildings to gain certification for the degree to which the building or space promotes overall health and wellbeing.

The final goal is to achieve a WELL Building Award which can be awarded at a Silver, Gold or Platinum level.

One of the standard’s seven factors that are used to grade a building or space is air quality. The standard will measure the air quality of the space in terms of the health, wellness, knowledge and comfort it provides for the occupants of the building.

The standard for air quality requires buildings to ‘promote clean air and reduce or minimise the sources of indoor air pollution’. 1

The WELL Building Institute’s intent is to reduce the occurrence of poor or contaminated air inside buildings that can cause a range of ill health, affect wellbeing and lower productivity.

According to the International WELL Building Institute ‘ air pollution is the number one

environmental cause of premature mortality’ 1 .

We all know air pollution is high on the agendas of governments across the world, including the UK so it is no surprise that the WELL Building Standard is such a big success.

The Institute say that improving the air inside our buildings will also enhance the air quality in the wider outdoor environment.

As a result, when we design air conditioning systems for any type of building, health and wellbeing should be at the centre of our plans for every aspect of the build, from the types of materials we use to our filter choices.

In order to meet the air quality standard, you will need to meet 30 requirements covering

things like filtration, air purification and cleanability. Visit wellcertified.com to find out more.

The WELL Building Standard is a thriving innovation and one that is set to grow as we

become increasingly aware of the importance of our wellbeing and our relationship with the environment around us.

How does the WELL Building Standard impact my air conditioning design?

Beyond the WELL Building Standard, there are already set standards and compliance for air conditioning in certain settings such as hospitals.

The Infection Control Standard of HBN

00-09 and the Health Memorandum for example, already set out clear guidance for system design to ensure the highest standards of air quality are met.

These pre-existing standards for air conditioning are recognised by the WELL Building Institute, who themselves say that existing compliance measures informed their own standard for air quality.

The WELL Building Standard does present something novel because it is international and explicitly focused on wellbeing although in terms of your air conditioning design, the impact on the work we do for you is not huge.

We already work to extremely high standards and the requirements for air conditioning

services in hospitals and other healthcare provision is already high.

What the standards do give you is a range of really specific, contemporary guidance from a more modern perspective of your occupant’s wellbeing which is a key focus for all contemporary business activity.

The standard also provides an internationally recognised way to prove the environmentally friendly credentials of your building which will ultimately add value to once the project is complete.

As we continue to think about the built environment and our responsibilities within it, it is

likely we will see more innovative guidance like this. Improving the air quality inside and

outside our buildings can only be a good thing.

Quality air conditioning plays an important role in much building design so it is only right that air conditioning forms part of our general rethinking about our approach to air quality.

Air Conditioning Services, London

To discuss more about the WELL Building Standards and what they mean for you. Give us a call today on 01895 540 565 .

We’ve worked across London and the South East for over 24 years, providing servicing, installation, maintenance and repairs to air conditioning in hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, clinics, domestic properties, commercial businesses and mor.

Whether you are a business, home or healthcare provision in Ruislip, London, Essex, Slough or another part of the South East, give us a call today on 01895 540 565 or visit our home page now, for expert air conditioning services you can trust.

Using air conditioning in the Covid-19 pandemic: 5 safety tips

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:03:03 GMT

Covid-19 has caused us to adjust our routine, everyday practices in ways we could never have imagined.

We know that in ordinary circumstances the presence of air conditioning in the workplace environment means better air quality, climate control and employee wellbeing but is this still the case in the current Covid-19 pandemic?

For the many hospitals, GP surgeries and other healthcare providers across London and the UK, air conditioning is an essential part of their important practices to keep patients, visitors and staff safe and healthy.

So should we still be using air conditioning during Covid-19?

The answer is yes but there are some key things you need to do. Let’s take a look how to

use air conditioning safely in the Covid-19 pandemic.

Guidelines for the use of air conditioning during the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic from the World Health Organisation (WHO) say:

“A well-maintained and operated system can reduce the spread of COVID-19 in indoor spaces by increasing the rate of air change, reducing recirculation of air and increasing the use of outdoor air.

Recirculation modes (which recirculate the air) should not be used. HVAC systems should be regularly inspected, maintained, and cleaned.’ 1 So the first thing to note, is that your air conditioning can still do its job. However you do need to check the settings on your air conditioning system to ensure they are optimised for safe use during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Here are 5 tips to ensure you use your air conditioning safely during Covid-19:

1. Optimum performance: The result you want to achieve is plenty of outside air coming in and internal air going out.

So firstly you need to ensure your air conditioning system is working properly because you will want it to power up its filtration, external air intake and air flow capabilities to deliver the maximum performance you need right now.

If your system hasn’t had a service or any maintenance done in a while, now is the

time to get it done. Dirty filters and parts will not only reduce the performance of your

air conditioning, they will also send contaminated air round the system and you don’t

want that.

If you are in a busy hospital or other healthcare environment a breakdown in the air conditioning system is not something you want to deal with right now, particularly in a pandemic of a resilient infectious disease so it’s a good idea to get your system

checked over.

2. External air: To promote the intake of as much air from outside as possible

programme your air conditioning to come on much earlier than usual (ie. a few hours

earlier) and remain on for longer or you can leave it on all day and night.

The reason for this is to ensure the air is constantly moving with clean air pumped in and indoor air pumped out. If you do want to leave the air con on after hours, you can set it so the ventilation is lower because there are no staff present. Of course, this ventilation level needs to be back up to the original level hours before the first staff start arriving in the morning.

If your system uses SMART technology to increase the airflow in line with the number of bodies in the building, you’ll need to override the settings, using your manual so the high intake of air is consistent regardless of the amount of people in the building .

3.Humidity levels: Keep an eye on the humidity levels of the filtered air as the weather

turns colder.

The recommended humidity level indoors to deter the spread of pathogens is

between 40 and 60 percent. However, when the cold weather sets in, that level can

drop by 20% or more. The colder it is, the lower the humidity level will drop so this is

something to keep in mind as the winter progresses.

4. Quality filters: As we are talking about preventing contamination, your filters are

really important here so now is the time to check the quality of our filters. Make sure

they are able to filter out the tiniest particles and ideally you’ll be looking at HEPA or

UVGI filters for the most rigorous cleaning capabilities.

For this and all other steps here, consult your manual before taking any changes.

5. Recirculation: Although some companies use recirculation of air in certain spaces

for energy-saving purposes, during the pandemic, recirculation of air in your system

is a no-no.

Do not use recirculation settings so that means no mixing of air because you will

make your environment unsafe by sending internal air back into the system.

Now is also a good time to double check the exit and entry points for air into and out

of your system are placed far enough apart to avoid any possibility of interaction,

particularly during strong winds.

Even if you feel strongly about saving energy, leaving recirculation settings on for just

one room will put everyone in jeopardy so keep those functions off until the pandemic

is over.

Air conditioning services during Covid-19

Despite the pandemic and intermittent lockdowns, we continue to serve all of our customers across Ruislip, London, Essex, Slough and other parts of the South East.

As experienced providers of servicing, installation, maintenance and repairs to hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, clinics and other healthcare settings, we understand how to work to the

highest quality standards.

We have a robust range of safe working practices in place to ensure the health and safety of both your community and ours. You can find more about our safe working practices on our home page or give us a call today on 01895 540 565.

Whether you need air conditioning installed, repaired or serviced - we can help. Our expert engineers work with homes and businesses across London and the South East.

With decades in the industry and specialist knowledge of how to work across the medical sector, you can be sure we have the experience you need at this challenging time. Get in touch with our friendly team today on 01895 540 565 or visit our home page now.