Demand for behavioral health facility capacity is at an all-time high, with hospitals navigating upgrades to better care while under pressure from regulatory, legal and ethical commitments. Hear the story of one psychiatric hospital that has been affected by these factors. The discussion will touch on how behavioral health needs are impacting all levels of health care facilities, how to address the environment of care to provide safe and supportive places to accommodate patients across the spectrum, and what’s next for facilities at the center of this crisis.

You’ve heard it before: you can’t manage what you don’t measure. That adage is why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®, a free online tool currently used by over 50% of U.S. commercial building space to measure and track energy and water consumption. To keep up with changes in building technology and practices over time, it is important for the ENERGY STAR scores generated from Portfolio Manager to be periodically updated. In this session, the EPA will provide information on the recent data survey of health care facilities and the new trends in energy usage identified that informed the ENERGY STAR 1-100 score update. Attendees will learn how this update impacts current scores, what they should do to prepare, and how to effectively communicate the update to senior leadership.

In the heart of central Illinois, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia is an over 100-year-old hospital that has gone through many expansions and renovations throughout its tenured life. The heating plant, which provides steam and hot water for all critical operations, although well-maintained and reliable over the years, was in need of replacement. Upgrading the heating plant posed several challenges. To enable continued hospital operation, the project was phased over two years and designed over four bid packages.

This session will give attendees a general understanding of the different types and components of elevator systems including the various types of elevator modernizations. It will also cover the preparations of the existing elevators to ensure minimal service disruption during a modernization. Afterward, the session participants will be able to effectively understand the components and types of conveyance discussed in assessment reports and will be better equipped for in-depth technical discussions with elevator contractors and/or manufacturers. The main topics covered will include: a general overview of typical terms with breakdowns of the different major components, different types of elevators and the unique systems required for each, the requirements for emergency power, the different types of elevator modernizations for these systems, and what each type of modernization entails.

As health care facility professionals continue forward on the journey toward operational excellence, it is important to take a step back, examine the current state of the facility’s asset management philosophy and gain an understanding of how a focus on reliability can enhance the patient care experience.

As health care continues to evolve, compliance with regulatory codes becomes more of a challenge. Learn how technology as a management tool improves the patient experience, operational efficiencies, quality and safety. Attendees will gain perspective from the facility to visualize how the management program fosters information sharing between all parties and provides an immediate visual overview of physical-environment-related issues. The audience will be provided with an overview on how management programs improve processes associated with the physical environment through data, technology and engagement.

This session will be a deep dive into a process that enables engineering staff to assess, mitigate and manage their indoor environment without causing significant increases in costs associated with the energy used to deliver quality air, light and thermal comfort to patient care areas.

Prefabrication has long been proven to support owner objectives in reducing the overall schedule for hospital builds and can be implemented to achieve fast-track construction. Learn how JV team Gilbane | Massaro achieved outstanding results utilizing off-site prefabrication at the Allegheny Health Network’s New Wexford Hospital and Parking Garage project in Wexford, Pa. During this roundtable discussion, representatives from owner AHN, construction manager Gilbane Building Company and plumbing and HVAC subcontractor W.G. Tomko will conduct a deep dive on the prefabrication process, detailing challenges and benefits of the prefabrication of racks for duct, plumbing, HVAC piping and insulation in this complex hospital project. The speakers will also give recommendations, lessons learned and best practices for future prefabrication opportunities. This Lean process is the future of construction in the health care sector and when strategically planned from day one with all parties, owners can expect their schedule and cost objectives to be achieved through its use.

The drain, waste and vent (DWV) piping system in a building is a crucial component of the overall plumbing infrastructure. The majority of DWV piping systems are hidden below floors, behind walls and in ceilings. Out of sight, out of mind…that is, until your previously fully functional plumbing system has a problem. We will discuss:
-How to maintain your DWV system.
-System evaluation.
-Inspections.
-Best practices for drain cleaning.
-Building usage.
-Low-flow/no-flow fixtures.
-Sewer gases.
-Grease interceptors.
-Kitchen area.
-Coordination with housekeeping/identifying harsh cleaning chemicals.
Your building’s DWV piping is a living and breathing system and must be maintained properly to ensure a long and functional life. Proper evaluation, planning and budgeting are all possible if we realize the importance of properly maintaining your DWV piping. There is no “good time” for your DWV system to have a problem.

This session will provide an overview of combined heat and power (CHP) applications in health care facilities; facilitate attendee participation through polling questions/peer discussion of energy resiliency’s value in health care facilities; highlight advances in prepackaged CHP systems; discuss and demonstrate use of the national electronic catalog of “plug and play” CHP manufacturers, solutions providers, engagement partners and trade allies; describe no-cost resources that are available through the U.S. Department of Energy to health care facilities to evaluate the technical and economic potential of CHP; and explain the newly articulated role of CHP in decarbonizing the grid now and into the future, including a technical explanation of CO2 emission savings comparison of CHP and other renewable energy resources.