Western Railways redefins Healthcare trends...
Blog by - Arushee Patnaik, Nitish Padhan, Dhaval Karwa, Jeyaraj K., T M Shilpa
“…and the environment in which they live and work plays a important role on their potential to deliver”_ Weinger MB”
Recent years, the focus has been on the cosmopolitan designs of a healthcare facility. It includes the higher use of technologies and equipment. In a typical healthcare facility, we have noticed that billions of dollars are spent on expensive diagnostic equipment (in importing) without considering the carbon emission impact on the environment. Instead, healthcare should provide enough consideration on sustainable built-environment too which shall help the patients to recover quickly. Some measures like having a well insulated envelop, handling of bio-medical waste, optimizing water & energy consumption, reduction in fossil fuel use for ambulances, improving indoor environmental quality, and conserving the natural resources are must have parameters for any upcoming or existing facility.
Western Railways, Mumbai has achieved the Platinum Level for Jagjivan Ram Hospital (established, 1960) under IGBC Green Healthcare Facilities through continuous 2 years' support from GreenTree Global.
The rating system addresses the most important national priorities incorporating water conservation, handling waste, energy efficiency, reduced use of fossil fuels, less reliance on virgin materials, and health and well-being of patients and occupants.
The green intents covered by JRH are…
• Usually enclosed spaces within Jagjivan Ram Hospital, like OTs, doctors' offices, SICUs, MICUs, CVIS ICUs, labs, and wards that are not meeting the fresh air requirement and are difficult to keep ventilated are mechanically maintained by HVAC systems.
• By providing ample daylight, the hospital contributes to ensuring the Indoor Air Quality of all occupied areas, which accounts for 99.83% of the total.
• For a patient’s recovery, nature plays a significant role in a patient's rapid recovery, and JRH has taken this into consideration by providing direct views from every floor on the hospital campus as well as a healing garden covering 14% of the whole site's greenery.
• Additionally, the hospital maintains color psychology, acoustics design, ergonomics design, and stress relief spaces to ensure the health of their patients.
• In order to reduce adverse health impacts, low VOC paints, adhesives, carpets, and wood are used throughout the facility, while CO2 sensors are provided at each patient room to monitor indoor parameters including temperature, humidity, TVOCs, Particulates, and CO2 continuously.
• No proper waste management is a great concern for any hospital, as it not only contributes to the spread of further injections, but also leads to discomfort and uneasiness while being in the hospital.
• Through a centralized facility and different colored bins, JRH ensured the proper separation of general as well as bio-medical wastes. Approximately 75% of the kitchen waste is converted to compost, and the rest goes to the DRM office for further treatment.
• AHUs and TFAs are equipped with HEPA filters to control infections, and the air ducts are pressurized, purified, and ionized during isolation of the 10% of rooms in this hospital.
• The project have demonstrated Energy performance Index Approach, where the generated energy through solar panels are send to the grid directly and as a reward the exact amount of electricity unit is deducted from the total energy consumption by the electricity board.
• As a result of the low hydrological level associated with the project's geographical location, rain water harvesting is not considered in this project. The building, however, uses water efficient faucets throughout to conserve water and the annual water consumption is 6,600.2 KL, 25% less than the baseline of 8,790.11 KL.
• Other aspects of water conservation is the use of Effluent treatment plants (ETP) that recycle 100% of the waste water generated by the project, and water metering system, to guide and monitor the consumption of the water in the premises.
• The project uses eco-friendly furniture's and medical furnishings that is at least 10% green pro certified or other equivalent standard approved by the IGBC.
• The premises has also announced the installment of charging stations for the EV’s comprising at least 5% of the total parking capacity and along with a dedicated points on the site plan for its execution.
• JRH is no different in this matter rather have taken particular care in designing the space with respect to the wheelchair movement as well as for other necessary equipment's. This is a universal design that should provide comfort to different types of patients while maintaining a sense of inclusiveness.
Salutations
The Platinum level certification for Jagjivan Ram Hospital proves a fact that a old public building (60 years old which is beyond a typical building life) with a good maintenance strategy from the leadership (of Western Railways) can be a green building. Every healthcare facility should look at this as mandatory rather optional to provide greater comfort to the patients and the users.
