Despite technical advances in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, the design of these systems in hospitals, especially in surgical areas, has received insufficient attention. Control of microbiological contaminants is a crucial consideration in an operating room and one that could be directly influenced by proper design, installation, maintenance, and upkeep of the HVAC system serving this area. However, architects, and engineers do not generally have knowledge of microbiological contaminants and methods for their control, and many HVAC systems, even today, are designed using antiquated techniques. Economy and energy conservation along with temperature, humidity control, and environmental asepsis are all considerations in the design of an air handling system. With the combined expertise of indoor air quality professionals and design engineers, optimal results can be achieved using generally standard equipment. Several basic criteria and recommendations are presented for a proposed air handling system in a surgical area.

Units: I-P