VENTILATION SYSTEMS
under the New Hospital Programme. Certification would help ensure that all ventilation components within these standardised designs meet consistent, enforceable performance levels.
Environmental performance The move towards certification does not have to happen in isolation. It can align with wider developments in the healthcare sector, including sustainability, energy efficiency, and decarbonisation. Ventilation systems are among the most energy-intensive components of healthcare estates, accounting for up to 40 per cent of electricity consumption on some sites. Improving their performance is not only a technical priority but also a critical opportunity to accelerate carbon reduction. A structured certification framework could
offer a reliable mechanism for embedding energy performance into ventilation design and operation. This might include defined limits on Specific Fan Power (SFP), mandatory use of EC fans and low-leakage casings, lifecycle efficiency benchmarking, and automatic setback or shutdown controls during non-operational hours. While these principles are encouraged in HTM 03-01 Part A, certification would ensure they are applied consistently and evaluated against measurable outcomes. Most importantly, this approach would directly support
the NHS’s ambition to reach Net Zero emissions by 2040. By embedding sustainability and decarbonisation criteria into a formal certification process, healthcare ventilation can contribute meaningfully to national carbon targets without compromising clinical integrity or infection control. IHEEM plays a vital role in training and accrediting
authorising engineers. Their push for HTM alignment is commendable, but unfortunately there is no legislative
power to enforce it. We believe IHEEM, manufacturers and air handling experts like us, must all work more closely to ensure that together we can present a connected ambition which drives forward best practice. A prime example of where this approach has been successful is the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), which has successfully lobbied for regulatory change through collaboration with manufacturers and installers.
By partnering with manufacturers, IHEEM can shape a certification framework that’s practical, scalable, and aligned with real-world challenges, and which stakeholders are already bought into. This would enhance the credibility of HTM 03-01 and provide a more robust foundation for compliance across the healthcare estate. Together, we could ensure that ventilation systems are not only designed to best practice but installed and maintained to it as well.
Collaboration between manufacturers and industry bodies will hopefully strengthen ventilation standards.
From guidelines to guarantees At Mansfield Pollard, we have built our reputation on engineering air handling systems grounded in the principles of HTM 03-01, applying its guidance rigorously across every stage of manufacture. Our commitment to quality, performance, and compliance is embedded in every unit we manufacture, and our Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) protocols already reflect the kind of rigour a certification framework would demand. This is not about elevating one manufacturer over another. It is about raising the bar across the entire sector. The current reliance on guidance alone creates too much room for interpretation - and with that, inconsistency. In critical care environments, inconsistency can carry unacceptable risk. Certification, where appropriate, offers a clearer path to accountability and assurance. The future of healthcare ventilation depends on smarter specification, earlier collaboration, and stronger alignment between manufacturers and industry bodies like IHEEM. HTM 03-01 provides a solid foundation, but it’s job well begun and not job done. Now is the time to build on it, because when it comes to the air patients breathe, good enough simply isn’t good enough.
October 2025 Health Estate Journal 143
Modern air handling units have been designed for efficiency and performance.
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