Energy analysis and forecast of a major modern hospital
2022
Buildings
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 12
Pages 1116
Author(s): Liu, A., Ma, Y., Miller, W., Xia, B., Zedan, S., Bonney, B.
Globally, roughly 4.4% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions come from the health sector. In some countries, the public health sector may regularly be the leading energy user and emitter. There is diverging evidence to suggest whether regional climate patterns or building occupancy have a greater impact on energy use within healthcare facilities.
Added August 2022
The energy saving potential of wide windows in hospital patient rooms, optimizing the type of glazing and lighting control strategy under different climatic conditions
2020
Energies
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 13
Pages 2116
Author(s): Cesari, S., Valdiserri, P., Coccagna, M., Mazzacane, S.
The heating and cooling of patient rooms creates extremely high energy demands, especially since these rooms typically are located around building perimeters to provide natural daylight, and therefore are most affected by the condition of the building’s envelope.
Added October 2020
Environmental audits and process flow mapping to assess management of solid waste and wastewater from a healthcare facility: an Italian case study
2017
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 189
Pages 239
Author(s): Vaccari, M., Montasser, W., Tudor, T., Leone, L.
Despite the growing number of policies and legislative drivers aiming for more sustainable resource management approaches and general environmental improvements, there is still a need for more research focusing on the improvement of waste and wastewater management.
Added June 2017
Eight Years of Data on Residents in Small Dementia-Care Settings Suggest Functional Performance Is Maintained
2015
Journal of Housing For the Elderly
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 29
Pages 298-328
Author(s): Milke, D. L., Leask, J., George, C., Ziolkowski, S.
The authors of this study note the impact of a home-like environment on the cognitive decline of dementia patients.
Added November 2016
Low stimulus environments: reducing noise levels in continuing care
2016
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 5
Pages 1-4
Author(s): Brown, J., Fawzi, W., Shah, A., Joyce, M., Holt, G., McCarthy, C., Stevenson, C., Marange, R., Shakes, J., Solomon-Ayeh, K.
This article highlights a project that aimed to reduce levels of intrinsic background noise on an adult mental health ward. Following intervention, the ward was able to decrease the background noise decibel level from 60dB to 53dB (on average).
Added November 2016
Surface Finish Materials: Considerations for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
2016
Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 16
Pages 203-207
Author(s): Harris, D.
In this literature review, it is shown that a growing body of research has been focusing on how surface material finishes within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) can contribute to the operational, clinical, and social aspects of health outcomes.
Added September 2016
Considerations for choosing appropriate healthcare waste management treatment technologies: a case study from an East Midlands NHS Trust, in England
2016
Journal of Cleaner Production
Journal Article
Author(s): Lee, S., Vaccari, M., Tudor, T.
Hospitals have the potential to significantly improve their socioeconomic and environmental conditions through the implementation of sound policies that are backed by solid research. Developing a strong evidence base for such policy decisions is therefore imperative. The National Health Service (NHS) is among the largest organizations in the United Kingdom, and is also very energy intensive and a prolific producer of waste
Added June 2016
Performance Evaluation of 32 LEED Hospitals on Operation Costs
Volume 145
Pages 1234-1241
Author(s): Sadatsafavi, H., Shepley, M. M.
As healthcare needs increase, providers strive to reduce operational costs while simultaneously increasing healthcare facility construction and renovation efforts. At the same time, certification programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) are examples of the emerging concerns regarding the environmental impact of healthcare facilities. The authors note that the number of studies documenting the benefits of more “green” facilities is limited; however, they hypothesize that upon comparing LEED-certified hospitals with uncertified ones, the LEED facilities will prove to have lower-than-average maintenance costs.
Added June 2016
Analysis of Credits Earned by LEED Healthcare Certified Facilities
Author(s): Golbazi, M., Aktas, C. B.
Green buildings have garnered widespread public support due to the positive impacts they are perceived to have on the environment, the economy, and society as a whole. The concept of green building design appeals to institutions because of its potential benefit for the indoor and outdoor environment as well as its potential for improving public image. As a result, there may be hospitals that become certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system but aren’t actually providing a green healthcare environment that positively influences patients and their periods of recovery. This is an important distinction since the core purpose of healthcare facilities is to improve the conditions of the sick and vulnerable, as well as society overall.
Added June 2016
Understanding Green Building Design and Healthcare Outcomes: Evidence-Based Design Analysis of an Oncology Unit
2016
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Journal Article
Author(s): Campion, N., Thiel, C. L., Focareta, J., Bilec, M. M.
The United States healthcare industry is a major part of the economy as well as a significant contributor to carbon dioxide emissions and other environmental issues. Green building design (GBD) attempts to offset environmental impacts of buildings, and recently designers have been combining GBD with evidence-based design (EBD) in order to create facilities that positively impact both the external and internal environment.
Added June 2016
Impact of the Physical Environment of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities (RHCSF) on Staff and Residents A Systematic Review of the Literature
2015
Environment and Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 48
Pages 1203-1241
Author(s): Joseph, A., Choi, Y.-S., Quan, X.
Strategies related to the design of the built environment should be considered within the context of the culture of the organization and the resident population. This study of the physical environment of residential health, care, and support facilities addresses the range of settings and population, where other studies have been lacking. The literature review strongly suggests that the built environment is an important component of care provided in residential care settings.
Added May 2016
Characteristics Associated with Low Food and Fluid Intake in Long-Term Care Residents with Dementia
2005
The Gerontologist
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 45
Pages 74-80
Author(s): Reed, P.S., Zimmerman, S., Sloane, P.D, Williams, C. S., Boustani, M.
Research conducted on residents of different nursing homes shows that the older people who had been suffering with impaired mobility and cognition face serious malnutrition resulting from insufficient food intake and dehydration problems due to less consumption of fluid intake. The resident characteristics that contribute to food and fluid intake include cognitive status, ability to drink independently, and physical limitations such as difficulty swallowing.
Added January 2016
Sleep in Hospitalized Elders: A Pilot Study
2012
Geriatric Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 31
Pages 263-172
Author(s): Missildine, K., Bergstrom, N., Meininger, J., Richards, K. & Foreman, M. D.
Sleep complaints are common among elders at home and in the hospital. These complaints include insomnia, difficulty falling sleep, and difficulty maintaining sleep, yet adequate sleep is commonly considered a necessary prerequisite to healing and recovery from illness.
Added January 2016
Decreasing Spatial Disorientation in Care-Home Settings: How Psychology can Guide the Development of Dementia-Friendly Design Guidelines
2015
Dementia
Journal Article
Author(s): O’Malley, M., Innes, A., & Wiener, J. M.
People who have Alzheimer’s disease (AD) will eventually face a decline in navigation and orientation skills. Most, if not all, people with AD, will move to a care home. The dilemma for many is finding their way around a new environment.
Added January 2016
Facility Design and Healthcare-Acquired Infections
2014
Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 44
Pages 129-132
Author(s): Stichler, J. F.
This article outlines the relationship between select design elements and the pervasive problem of healthcare-acquired infections.
Added January 2016
Home Modification and Prevention of Frailty Progression in Older Adults: A Japanese Prospective Cohort Study
2014
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 40
Pages 40-46
Author(s): Mitoku, K., Shimanouchi, S.
In a study involving 574 Japanese adults 65 years or older who required a low or moderate level of care, 34% modified their homes over the course of the study. Modification of these older adults’ homes prevented the progression of frailty (requiring higher level of care).
Added January 2016
Implications of the emergency department triage environment on triage practice for clients with a mental illness at triage in an Australian context
2014
Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 17
Pages 23-29
Author(s): Broadbent, M., Moxham, L., Dwyer, T.
Emergency departments (EDs) in Australia have been seeing an increase in recent years in the number of patients presenting with mental illness. This study aims to determine if the triage environment of the ED influences the triage practice of ED nurses. Using an ethnographic approach, the research found that ED nurses felt that triaging mentally ill patients in an area that is very public, noisy, and lacks privacy can impact their ability to effectively conduct assessments and manage patients.
Added October 2015
Colour Sustainability in Hospitals Interior Spaces
2015
International Journal of Contemporary Architecture ”T he New ARCH“ V
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 2
Pages 30-36
Author(s): Elqahtani, L. A., Elgizawi, L.
The impact of the physical environment on health outcomes in hospital facilities has been studied extensively. Interior colors affect the moods and feelings of hospital users to a degree that must not be overlooked by facility designers.
Added June 2015
Study and Implementation of White Power-LED Based Indoor Lighting Application for the Healthcare Sector
2015
Advances in Optical Science and Engineering: Proceedings of the First International Conference, IEM OPTRONIX 2014
Book Section
Author(s): Chakraborty, A., Ganguly, R., Lakshminarayanan, V., Bhattacharya, I.
The authors consider the gradual transition of LED technology from electronic to electrical lighting in the last decade as a paradigm shift. They cite the example of two organizations that are cutting costs and the consumption of electricity after shifting from incandescent and fluorescent to LED lighting.
Added June 2015
Comparative Analysis of Hospital Energy Use: Pacific Northwest and Scandinavia
2014
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 8
Pages 20-44
Author(s): Burpee, H., McDade, E.
Today, operational hospitals in the United States consume an enormous amount of energy. This study is an outgrowth of previous research evaluating high-quality, low-energy hos pitals that serve as examples for new high-performance hospital design, construction, and operation.
Added May 2015
