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Effect of ventilation rate on air cleanliness and energy consumption in operation rooms at rest

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Abstract

The interrelationships between ventilation rate, indoor air quality, and energy consumption in operation rooms at rest are yet to be understood. We investigate the effect of ventilation rate on indoor air quality indices and energy consumption in ORs at rest. The study investigates the air temperature, relative humidity, concentrations of carbon dioxide, particulate matter (PM), and airborne bacteria at different ventilation rates in operation rooms at rest of a medical center. The energy consumption and cost analysis of the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the operation rooms at rest were also evaluated for all ventilation rates. No air-conditioned operation rooms had very highest PM and airborne bacterial concentrations in the operation areas. The bacterial concentration in the operation areas with 6–30 air changes per hour (ACH) was below the suggested level set by the United Kingdom (UK) for an empty operation room. A 70% of reduction in annual energy cost by reducing the ventilation rate from 30 to 6 ACH was found in the operation rooms at rest. Maintenance of operation rooms at ventilation rate of 6 ACH could save considerable amounts of energy and achieve the goal of air cleanliness.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Fen-Fang Chung and Pei-Hung Chen for their assistance during this investigation.

Funding

Special thanks to Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Taiwan, for financially supporting this research under Contract No. CMRPD1G0231 and CZRPG3A0011.

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Author notes

  1. Ching-Chieh Liang equally contributed to the first author.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Shih-Tseng Lee

  2. Department of Engineering Management, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Ching-Chieh Liang, Tsung-Yi Chien, Feng-Jen Wu & Kuang-Chung Fan

  3. Department of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Gwo-Hwa Wan

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Gwo-Hwa Wan

  5. Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan

    Gwo-Hwa Wan

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  1. Shih-Tseng Lee
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  2. Ching-Chieh Liang
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  3. Tsung-Yi Chien
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Correspondence to Gwo-Hwa Wan.

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Lee, ST., Liang, CC., Chien, TY. et al. Effect of ventilation rate on air cleanliness and energy consumption in operation rooms at rest. Environ Monit Assess 190, 178 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6556-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6556-z

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