VENTILATION
KAROLIEN SELHORST – FREELANCE JOURNALIST, BELGIUM; ANN BEUSEN – ENGINEER AND CONSULTANT, VIPA; SARA BENOY – ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, AGENTSCHAP ZORG EN GEZONDHEID; ANN VANDYCKE & ROGER ALBERTIJN –
ZORG.TECH, THE NETHERLANDS
New ventilation plan for residential care centres
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of ventilation to a healthy environment. Karolien Selhorst spoke to Dutch working group contributors Ann Beusen, engineer and consultant of VIPA, Sara Benoy, environmental health professional of Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid, and Ann Vandycke and Roger Albertijn of
ZORG.tech about this critical topic.
The coronavirus pandemic has made it even more clear that good ventilation and decent aeration are an absolute must when it comes to a healthy environment. This goes, without a doubt, for residential care centres, an environment where a lot of vulnerable people and health workers are staying day and night. Within the Dutch government, both Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid and VIPA (Vlaams Infrastructuurfonds voor Persoonsgebonden Aangelegenheden) have elaborated a plan of action called ‘kwaliteitskader ventilatie’ (quality framework for ventilation) which has already been accepted as a project within the recovery plan called ‘Vlaamse Veerkracht’ (Flemish Resilience). The department Omgeving (‘Environment’) is also involved in this project. With regards to the actual implementation of this plan of action, elaborated in favour of residential care centres, a working group has been set up which includes
ZORG.tech. We spoke with the people that are involved in this project. “Already from the very start of the
corona pandemic, it became clear that more special attention and more support were needed in order to have good ventilation policies in residential care centres,” says Ann Beusen, engineer and consultant of VIPA. “Why there in particular? First of all, because we are talking about a very specific setting, one that finds itself in between a residential setting and a non-residential setting. Moreover, it needs to be said that ventilation and sufficient aeration in residential care centres is something delicate.” “Measurements, performed by
Departement Omgeving (the Department of Environment) in the context of the support program for residential care centres of the Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid, also made this very clear,” Beusen continues. “In nineteen of the
Ann Beusen
Ann Beusen is an engineer and consultant of VIPA and coordinator of several working groups in healthcare and fire prevention in Vlaanderen
Measurements have shown that it is not always easy to ensure that the amount of fresh air is sufficient
residential care centres, the amount of CO2
has been measured with sensor-
boxes. These measurements show whether the supply of fresh air is sufficient or not. This enables us to collect a lot of data with regards to ventilation in rooms, common areas and dining rooms. These measurements have shown that it is not always easy to ensure that the amount of fresh air is sufficient. Due to the vulnerability of the residents, it is not always possible to keep all doors and windows open. There are, however,
Ann Vandycke
Ann Vandycke is a project engineer for the Technical Departement of Mintus
Elderly Care Organisation in Bruges. She is also a board member of
ZORG.tech Belgium.
Sara Benoy
Sara Benoy is an environmental health professional of Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid.
Roger Albertijn
Roger Albertijn is manager of the Technical Departement of GZA Zorg en Wonen, an elderly care organisation in Antwerp. He is a board member of
ZORG.tech Belgium and board member of IFHE EU Exco and Council.
IFHE DIGEST 2023
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