Focus: Energy Efficiency

Can energy models help healthcare facilities reduce energy use?

Energy models help designers and FMs make more informed decisions and better evaluate design trade offs to arrive at the most energy efficient solution.


Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are notorious energy users due to the large amount of outside air that is required for ventilation and air change rates, the need for spaces to be cooled or warmed above normal conditions for various medical procedures, and the fact that many of these facilities run continuously with little to no unoccupied times, according to an article from Building Operating Management on the FacilitiesNet website.

Energy costs have forced healthcare organizations to take a deeper look at their energy consumption, especially on new construction projects. Energy modeling, integrated with BIM, can help building owners make effective decisions about how to spend project budgets to improve the sustainability and energy efficiency of their facilities.

Energy modeling gives the entire project team, especially when an integrated design process is utilized, the ability to select and optimize building systems for maximum performance, so that the owner can make better, more informed design decisions.

By modeling various types of materials that make up the building envelope, the design team can determine the impacts of each on the building heating and cooling requirements and work with the building owner to determine if the additional cost is warranted. 

Read the article.

 


December 16, 2019


Topic Area: Energy Efficiency


Recent Posts

Designing Healthcare Facilities for Pediatric and Geriatric Populations

Understanding the nuanced needs of both age groups is essential to creating supportive multi-generational environments.


Kaiser Permanente Announces New Hospital Tower at Sunnyside Medical Center

It plans to open this new facility on the campus in 2029.


Building Disaster Resilience Through Collaboration

The ability to respond quickly and recover effectively depends on the strength of an organization’s external bonds.


Amae Health Expands to New York City

This expansion brings its integrated care model to serve individuals with complex mental health conditions.


Hospital for Special Surgery Opens Two New Facilities in New Jersey

The two facilities are a full-service outpatient center and a surgery center.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.