Last week Tom O'Brien, Senior Design Manager at COVA, attended the Australian Health Design Council Conference, learning from the 2023 European Study tour, whereby speakers spoke about the insights gathered from their recent visit to some of France and Switzerland’s best practice hospitals and health buildings.
Some of the key engineering insights include:
> Natural ventilation is a key feature. It was common for limited, or no, mechanical cooling to be installed, with fresh air and cooling during the warmer months achieved via openable windows (containing security mesh where necessary).
> A focus on artificial light via large windows created welcoming and light-filled spaces. It was frequently observed that no lighting would be required during the day, given the abundance of natural light.
> Comparatively less visible engineering infrastructure. This was the case within patient rooms, with fewer GPO’s and medical gases at patient bedheads and on corridor ceilings, with less use of services in high-traffic areas.
In addition to these insights, the event was a great opportunity to speak with others passionate about designing and implementing innovative healthcare solutions.
#COVA #strongertogether #engineeringbetterlives #healthcare #healthplanning #engineeringservices
In: Healthcare, B&P Aus
30 July 2023
COVA at Australian Health Design Council Conference
