Helping McLaren Health Care Operating rooms Optimization to Reduce Energy Demand

Apr 14, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Jun 13

Opportunity

HVAC is the single most energy-intensive component in the McLaren portfolio which includes more than 100 operating rooms (ORs) running multiple procedures each day. OR requirements include air changes per hour (ACH), strict temperature, humidity parameters, pressure relationships, and energy-intensive (often heat-generating) surgical lighting systems, therefore, optimizing OR HVAC systems represented a significant energy reduction opportunity. To help McLaren Health Care meet its energy demand reduction target, Resolute is using its analytics software to fine-tune the systems that operate McLaren's buildings across the network which are making a significant impact on their HVAC operations.

McLaren OR Optimization Impact

Balancing all ORs to a max of 20 ACH for potential annual portfolio savings of up to	Set back all ORs to 8 ACH during unoccupied times for potential annual portfolio savings of up to	Total potential annual portfolio savings of up to
$490,000	$725,000	$1,215,000

Occupied Settings

20 ACH provides significantly better particle control than 15 ACH

ORs require proper ventilation, specifically fresh outside air. State and federal codes govern the minimum total and outdoor air change rates for ORs to maintain temperature, ensure particle removal and overcome equipment loads. ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2013 states that ventilation of health care facilities requires a minimum of 20 ACH and 4 ACH of outdoor air when the room is in use. McLaren had no ACH design specification/standard across its portfolio, and various sites were exchanging air above the minimum ACH. Using Resolute’s analytical data and working with McLaren leadership at the corporate and site levels, McLaren Health Care has standardized around ASHRAE 170 and is in the process of adjusting all ORs to 20 ACH.

Unoccupied Settings

ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2013

ASHRAE 170 and many state codes allow the number of air changes to be reduced “when the space is unoccupied providing that the required pressure relationship to adjoining spaces is maintained while the space is unoccupied and that the minimum number of air changes indicated is re-established anytime the space becomes occupied” (7.1-Subsection a.3).

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About McLaren Health Care

About McLaren Health Care Headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, McLaren Health Care is a fully integrated healthcare network dedicated to providing quality, evidence-based patient care with a strong focus on cost efficiency. The McLaren system is comprehensive, encompassing 15 hospitals across the region, numerous ambulatory surgery centers and imaging facilities, an extensive employed primary care physician network, and Commercial and Medicaid HMOs serving over 640,000 lives. They are committed to expanding local ambulatory support, investing in new medical campuses, and leveraging advanced technology to improve patient outcomes and access to care throughout their communities. Their dedication to innovation and strategic growth ensures they remain a leading healthcare provider in Michigan.