This paper is a result of tireless pursuit of reducing health sector energy consumption and associated climate footprint. Fossil fuel combustion related to energy use in buildings produces not only global warming gases such as carbon dioxide, but also series of other pollutants that contribute to the environmental burden of diseases and the increase of healthcare costs.

This paper outlines three alternatives for addressing ventilation in outpatient facilities, within and out of the context of the current ASHRAE Standard 170 "Ventilation for Health Care Facilities". It compares the current exhaust and outside air rate requirements of Standard 170 to those of B occupancy areas in outpatient health care facilities such as medical office buildings (MOBs) and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).