Technical Focus

HEALTHY BUILDING, HEALTHY PATIENTS: THE IMPORTANCE OF THERMAL COMFORT STANDARDS

Healthcare facilities around the world have been thrown into the spotlight like never before during the recent pandemic, and the pressure on hospitals to provide a safer and more hygienic environment has increased tenfold. Here, Luciana Kola from Uponor, discusses the role of thermal comfort in creating a healthier environment for patients.

The average person produces a base production rate of around 60W of heat on average whilst sleeping, which increases with the more activity we do. For example, when doing normal office work, we generate around 140W, with this increasing to around 250W for physical activity. Therefore, we need to balance out our heat production with heat loss in order to be comfortable and feel physically well. We lose heat from our body in four ways: by evaporation, radiation, convection or conduction. To achieve thermal comfort, we must be in thermal balance with our surroundings, meaning that we equal the loss of heat from our bodies with the rate that we produce heat.

Thermal comfort is particularly important in places such as healthcare facilities as it reduces the risk of people developing further illnesses, such as respiratory problems, dehydration or hyperthermia. The temperature, humidity, air circulation and air quality of a building are but a few factors that determine thermal comfort within a facility and it is crucial that these are considered during the initial design stages of any building which will be providing healthcare services.

Top of the agenda

So, how should healthcare facilities be designed to create the most thermallycomfortable environment possible for patients? During the early design stages, operative temperature, humidity and fresh air supply rate should be discussed in order to specify the optimum comfort solution for a facility. Other aspects that must be considered at this stage include seasonal temperature changes, conditions in different-sized spaces and rooms, and whether a building is naturally ventilated or uses air conditioning. These considerations are crucial because however

DIAGRAM SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW RADIANT HEATING AND CONVENTIONAL HEATING WARM UP A SPACE

innovative or well-regarded a system is, it cannot be deemed a success if it fails to achieve the conditions required by staff, and, more importantly, patients.

UFH as a viable option

A building’s heating system is obviously fundamental when it comes to achieving thermal comfort but there are a number of decisions to be made when considering the most appropriate heating system to be used in a healthcare facility. While it’s often tempting to stick with what you know, it’s imperative for developers and specifiers to take time to explore all options available, and consider the pros and cons of traditional heating systems, such as radiators, versus more modern methods such as underfloor heating.

Radiators work by heating the air surrounding them using convection. The heated air rises towards the ceiling, and once it has cooled down it falls back to ground level to be heated by the convection of the radiator. The convection of warm air can cause a reduction in humidity, meaning the heated area can feel stuffy, dry and uncomfortable.

In addition to discomfort, the rising air temperature through convectional heating can lead to a reduction in oxygen levels and even breathing difficulties if the air is too warm. This can cause significant issues in healthcare facilities where patients may already be suffering from respiratory issues.

Conversely, underfloor heating works by providing a consistent temperature of heat across a wider area. If the entire floor of an area is heated up to a consistent temperature, it gives an even spread of radiant heat across the entire space, whereas convectional heat can lead to hot spots and overheating as people turn the temperate up at the source to compensate for cooler areas.

Underfloor heating can be controlled by room or by zone, with a thermostat controlling each area. This is a more efficient way of heating a building as it provides heighted thermal comfort whilst also reducing the amount of energy required. By heating specific areas of a building, rather than an entire facility, underfloor heating can also be more cost effective, allowing a facility to make economic savings in the long term. What’s more, underfloor heating can also be a safer option in hospitals and facilities where there are vulnerable patients, as there is no physical heat source that a patient could touch, or trip and fall over, which could lead to potential accidents and burns.

Putting patients first

As previously mentioned, thermal comfort is a crucial consideration in the design of any building, but within a healthcare or hospital environment, it is absolutely mandatory. The nature of patients’ sickness directly changes their thermal sensation, metabolic rate and regulatory response, so a comfortable environment makes a significant contribution towards patient recovery and wellbeing, which is the primary focus of any hospital. Therefore, specifying the correct heating solution for healthcare facilities has never been more important, and with innovation across the sector, heating systems can now provide energy-efficient, cost-effective solutions that ultimately improve the welfare of the nation’s most vulnerable.  www.uponor.co.uk