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SAFETY AND SECURITY


see a corresponding decrease of 5% RH,” he added. The team explained to all relevant


stakeholders within the organisation that the environmental extremes were beyond the facilities’ original design limitations. Once they had done so, everyone came on-side to design and develop solutions that enabled building operators to maintain the indoor environment within acceptable standards. Regarding justifying the cost of the changes, Whiteman says “leadership in health care isn’t restricted to doing things right; it’s also about doing the right things. The management team were very supportive once they understood how climate change was impacting our ability to deliver quality health care.”


Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Opened in 2012, the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) is a 247-bed facility serving central Vancouver Island’s 160,000 residents and also serves as a referral hospital for an additional 400,000 British Columbia (BC) residents. The original hospital building was constructed in the 1960s and, to meet the growing demands of the central island, has undergone numerous additions and renovations over the years. The addition of the NRGH Emergency Department


Some health care facilities have already begun to factor climate change into their strategic planning and are making strides in efforts to increase resiliency


provided an increase in floor area (6,200 m2


) and improved functionality for


one of the busiest emergency rooms on Vancouver Island (53,000 visits per year). The local health authority, Island


Health, and all public sector organisations in BC were required by legislation to be carbon neutral by 2010. New buildings must be certified to a minimum standard of ‘Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design’ (LEED) Gold and Island Health wanted to minimise greenhouse gas emissions with the new NRGH Emergency Department. The designers provided many features that have the additional benefit of mitigating risk in the event of extreme weather: l To reduce energy use and concomitant greenhouse gas emissions, the building design includes use of displacement ventilation, radiant heating/cooling panels, wood products with lower associated greenhouse gas emissions, solar shading, extra roof and wall


insulation, high performance glazing, a heat recovery chiller, efficient lighting and lighting controls, low-flow water fixtures and a dynamic subterranean labyrinth for heat and cooling storage. During daylight hours, for example, the majority of the building operates with very little artificial light compared to the old Emergency Department which had no natural light.


l Designers provided day lighting in most areas of the building (even in the trauma room) as well as operable windows to allow natural ventilation.


l The building’s dedicated heat recovery chiller provides most of the space heating as well as preheating for the domestic hot water. This system is 100% backed up by the main hospital’s existing plant.


l Design and technology complying with LEED Gold standards and BC Hydro’s Commercial New Construction Program.


IFHE DIGEST 2017


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