Design as a Tool to Reduce Energy Loss Due to Heat Gain in Hospitals in India: An Approach to Sustainability

Abstract

India is the world’s second most populated country in the world with a population of 1.32 billion. It is projected to surpass China (largest population) reaching 1.7 billion by 2050. There is a shortage of 2 million hospital beds in India at present. Roughly 100,000 hospital beds have been added annually over the last decade and if India continues to maintain this rate, it will fall short of target by 1.6 million beds by 2034.

This paper focuses on using design as a tool to reduce energy loss in hospitals in India. Hospital buildings are major energy consumers because of their high demand of heating and cooling for controlled medical parameters and round the clock functioning. In light of present demand and growth of healthcare facilities in India, it is important to understand the energy load on the present infrastructure that will be enhanced manifold in future. None-the-less it maybe understood that huge energy loss is faced by major hospital buildings through uninsulated lengthy conduits and service pipelines responsible for heating and cooling facilities in a hospital. These are installed on the rooftops of major buildings and are responsible for extra load on the heating and cooling systems due to additional heat gain during 75-80% of the yearas Indian climate is primarily hot.

This paper intends to include Energy Efficiency as a major role player in the planning and design stage of a hospital project. Adding further to the existing guidelines the following approach to design and planning maybe explored

1. Segregation and Zoning of building components/ departments as per their energy need and controlled medical environments.
2. Patient centric hospitals focus on therapeutic healing environments. India has defined diverse climatic zones across the country. Adopting design interventions to incorporate active and passive heating and cooling techniques may help in reducing energy consumption.
3. As major population of India resides in rural areas (68.84%), a part of design component may segregate energy demands based on comfort indicators for different regions like physical adaptabilities to heat and cold, socio-economic base, cultural adaptability and regional lifestyles etc.

The suggested approach in the paper may help in significantly reducing energy consumption in these 24X7 running Buildings.