Aiming for Net Zero in Operating Theatres

The presentation will report on the outcome of a large multi-disciplinary study which was carried to support the Estates teams at two NHS Trusts (UCLH and Barts Health) in looking at the efficiency and energy reduction of hospital theatres. Using support from UCLP through the Greener NHS initiative, the team worked on two activities

1. Rethinking the Operating Theatre Suite: led by Dr Anne Symons UCL (Healthcare Architect)
2. Operating Room Ventilation: Turn it down, Switch it off: led by Professor Ian Eames UCL (Mechanical Engineer).

The aim of Project 1 was to be able to select suitable operating theatres in the trusts where trials could take place. It involved visits and studies to various hospitals within the trusts and in Germany and the Netherlands to study not only the ventilation systems but to see what effect the layout of the theatre suite had on net zero and saving energy. Project 2 supported by Professor Duncan Wilson, CASA, UCL and student teams working with Professor Ian Eames, collected and analysed data in relation to the ventilation systems through sensing the systems and taking information from BMS Systems. The academic team were supported by a medical team led by Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetic Consultation Dr Jonathan Groome, Barts Healthcare and GASP (Green Anaesthesia) whose aim was to reduce energy costs within Barts Health. Lindsay Muirhead from UCLH Estates Department led the sustainability team.

All estates teams in the participating hospitals provided expert technical information that permitted the team to examine the efficiency of the theatres from the perspective of (a) how the space is used, (b) how the space is configured, and (c) the type of ventilation. Three types of ventilation: Traditional – Turbulent Flow, Ultra Clean (Laminar Flow) and Temperature Controlled (Avidicare :Opragon). Currently temperature-controlled ventilation is not included in HTM 03 Specialised Ventilation. The presentation will report on energy estimates and savings, how to use BMS data for energy costs, and share the best practice and experiences that already exists across the NHS estates teams.