Operating rooms (ORs) have significant HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) standards and requirements, yet the rooms tend not to be in use upwards of 40% of the time. As a result, an excessive amount of energy is wasted to maintain air standards for no reason during that period of time. Hospitals have an opportunity to save a significant amount of energy by employing HVAC setback strategies, which minimize the amount of air supplied to the rooms when they are unoccupied. The decision of whether or not to employ a setback strategy for a hospital’s ORs requires an assessment of staff usage, existing conditions, and associated costs.