Mechanical Engineering Design for Hospitals – The Must Know
Design engineers must be prepared to go above and beyond the codes to provide the highest quality, most comfortable, and controlled spaces to the most vulnerable populations.
Designing a hospital or outpatient medical facility can be challenging with the need to adhere to multiple codes and guidelines, equipment coordination, and the possibility of problems beyond occupant comfort. At the most basic level, HVAC engineers who design health care facilities are responsible not only for ventilation and occupant comfort but also for taking into account the chemical, physical, and biological contaminants that are present in a health care environment.
ASHRAE 170-2017 covers patient care areas of health care facilities in new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and alterations to existing buildings. It provides a guideline for health care facility safety and dictates the air changes per hour required in health care settings, pressure relationship requirements, exhaust requirements, filtration and air distribution requirements, humidity and temperature requirements, and much more.