A high-stakes HVAC upgrade done right

By Emma Peterson. 

A fan array retrofit helped a children's hospital enhance indoor air quality, maintain continuous operation and save millions. 

With patients coming in every day with different health conditions and often compromised immune systems, clean air is a key part of a successful treatment. As an OpenMedScience article explains: 

Air quality plays a pivotal role in patient outcomes, especially in surgical rooms, intensive care units (ICUs) and specialized wards like oncology or neonatal care...Research published in clinical journals has shown that improved ventilation and filtration protocols have a direct correlation with decreased infection rates in critical-care units. This doesn’t just enhance patient safety; it also lowers the burden on staff, who can then concentrate on essential care rather than responding to preventable infections. 

With this context, it’s no wonder that when an Orlando Children’s Hospital came to the WTI PureAir team needing help with their aging HVAC system, the stakes could not have been higher. When looking at their situation, the WTI PureAir team discovered that five of the facility’s critical air handler units (AHUs) needed help. Complicating the situation were “strict engineering demands, financial limitations, temporary spot cooling and the need to minimize facility downtime.” 

The solution that the WTI PureAir team came up with was a fan array retrofit. This retrofit solution saw the old blowers removed and replaced with multiple smaller Q-PAC fans. This solution met the need to perform the work with little to no disruption to the young patients and dedicated staff of the hospital. Further, it didn't just restore the HVAC system to prior operational levels but improved them. The WTI PureAir team explained:  

The fan array system adapts to its conditions, so if one fan fails, the others compensate to maintain operation. The metal drain pans and exterior of the AHUs were coated in an anti-microbial and corrosion-resistant coating for lasting health and safety.   

Best of all, the restoration came in at a fraction of the cost that a full replacement would require, saving the hospital millions of dollars. The project is a prime example of how a mechanical restoration can provide a seamless solution to even the most demanding, strictly constrained projects.  

Read more about the project yourself!