Abstract
The scientific literature offers a wide range of studies evidencing the progress done in the retrofit actions dealing with the current building stock; however, renovations of hospitals are still an open field of research due to their typical complexity that is usually associated with a very challenging updating processes to maintain or increase operational level. The paper provides a synthesis of a study developed by a team of the Department of Architecture for Saint Orsola Hospital in Bologna with the scope to explore innovative retrofitting strategies. The brief provided by the management unit of the hospital was connected to the general renovation plan involving the entire site and particularly some existing buildings taking into account some limitations concerning budget availabilities and everyday activities needed to ensure acceptable service level for the end users. The design approach starts from defining a basic unit (a typical hospital room) that is deeply analyzed to report the starting conditions (indoor environmental parameters) and then used to simulate the potential impacts of retrofitting actions on its performances. The results allowed to parametrically develop a step by step strategy scaled on each building sector and on the building as a whole to evaluate the global impact on energy performances while considering time and costs of each retrofitting options.
Highlights
Hospitals represent one of the most complex building types combining several functions operating 24/7—emergency rooms, operating rooms, divisions, long and short stay rooms, laboratories, etc., and, different bedroom typologies
Retrofitting hospitals is a very challenging action especially when delivered in historic buildings that were adapted during their lifespan to new standards, equipment, and functions dealing with medical objectives and with energy savings issues
This paper reports the methodology and the outcomes of a study run on an existing hospital undergoing a deep retrofitting with the purpose of optimizing actions and supporting the decision making process, considering the constraints related to limiting the disruption for end-users and patients, maintaining the services active, and proceeding with separate interventions according to a step by step strategy
Summary
Hospitals represent one of the most complex building types combining several functions operating 24/7—emergency rooms, operating rooms, divisions, long and short stay rooms, laboratories, etc., and, different bedroom typologies. Retrofitting hospitals is a very challenging action especially when delivered in historic buildings that were adapted during their lifespan to new standards, equipment, and functions dealing with medical objectives and with energy savings issues. Among the several research fields with which hospitals can be associated, there are three specific issues of great interest that are connected with the architectural sector: Energy: The huge amount of energy demand (heating, cooling, operating, etc.) and the related management requires effective monitoring and audit strategies to define use profiles and to drive adequate retrofitting measures; Environmental, pollution and thermal comfort: It is assumed that the environmental quality and comfort of operating and other key rooms must meet optimal service level; Management: The scheduling and organization of retrofitting actions have to ensure the continuity of services with relation to use while taking into account the building site conditions. A key related reflection is that energy costs are embedded in the general budget provided by the National Health Service when hospitals operate under the public umbrella and in the general budget as well in the case of the private sector, high energy costs mean a reduction of the budget availability for medical and health purposes
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