Safety and Energy Implications of Setback Control in Operating Rooms during Unoccupied Periods

Health care facilities are high energy-demanding buildings. The energy-saving potential is limited due to safety regulations, especially in critical care areas like operating rooms (ORs). Reducing the supply airflows during unoccupied periods, also called ventilation turndown or setback, is accepted as an energy efficiency measure as long as it does not compromise the pressure relationship. In addition, temperature and relative humidity setbacks can introduce further energy savings. This work aims at studying the effect that a setback has on the OR-positive pressure and the savings achievable in both the energy supply and CO2 emissions. Towards this target, five tests are performed in two ORs of a public hospital during the summer, winter, and midseason. A setback is applied on the basis of an occupancy sensor, and the pressure difference from the OR adjacent spaces is monitored. The outdoor and supply air conditions and airflows, as well as fan energy consumption, are measured. Punctual pressure relationship losses are observed during the occupied periods due to doors opening but not during ventilation setback operations. The energy savings achieved accounted for 75% of the natural gas consumption and 69% of the electricity in the ORs. The yearly estimations imply economic savings of near 20,000 EUR and more than 100 tons of CO2 emissions.