As healthcare organizations seek additional ways to optimize efficiencies while enhancing patient care, Johnson Controls releases a new offering to reduce energy consumption in surgical environments. Johnson Controls Healthcare Environment Optimization™ integrates a hospital’s building automation system with surgery scheduling to optimize air exchange rates and energy use - with projected annual savings of up to $10,000 in each operating room.

Historically, the operating room’s HVAC system uses a substantial amount of energy to effectively ventilate and eliminate airborne contaminants. “Typically, a high volume of air is being moved through the operating room around-the-clock, even when the room is vacant. This wastes energy and valuable dollars, but with Healthcare Environment Optimization, we can now control the air flow in an efficient and safe manner,” said Richard Smith, director, healthcare, Johnson Controls.

Developed through a collaboration with HDR, an architecture, engineering and consulting firm, Healthcare Environment Optimization translates and routes data from surgery scheduling to the building automation system and determines which of the two HVAC system modes should be used: surgery or setback.

When the system is in surgery mode, the HVAC system achieves a minimum number of air changes every hour per industry or local authority standards. In setback mode, most regulatory entities state that air changes may be reduced to 25 percent of suggested values when the operating room is unoccupied. “Healthcare Environment Optimization enables our customers to capture this opportunity to reduce energy usage and operational costs based on real-time surgical schedules, which we all know can change on a rapid basis,” said Smith.
With Healthcare Environment Optimization, the HVAC system operates at a reduced rate at the appropriate time. The new offering also provides:

• The ability to track air exchange rates and temperatures for recordkeeping purposes.
• An optional user interface display which gives surgical and facility staff control of the room conditions, including a manual override to adjust temperature.
• Real-time alarms which allow occupants to immediately address HVAC system problems.
• The ability to earn credits toward LEED® and ENERGY STAR® certifications.

Healthcare Environment Optimization can integrate with the Metasys® building management system or other building automation systems, increasing the flexibility of the installation process.

For more information about Johnson Controls Healthcare Environment Optimization, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/healthcare.