Trauma Rooms.

Emergency trauma rooms located with the emergency department should have the
same temperature, humidity, and ventilation requirements as those of other applicable operating
rooms. Anesthesia Storage Rooms. Anesthesia storage rooms must be mechanically ventilated in
conformance with several detailed requirements in NFPA Standard 99. Building codes may impose
additional requirements on the storage of compressed gases. Nursing Patient Rooms. Each patient
room should have individual temperature control. Air pressure in general patient suites can be neutral
in relation to other areas. Most governmental design criteria and codes require that all air from toilet
rooms be exhausted directly outdoors. The requirement appears to be based on odor control, though
recent research has documented the ability of toilets to generate droplets and aerosols (Johnson et al.
2013). Where recirculating room unit systems are used within patient rooms, it is common practice to
exhaust through the adjoining toilet room an amount of air equal to the amount of outdoor air brought
in for ventilation. Ventilation of toilets, bedpan closets, bathrooms, and all interior rooms should
conform to applicable codes. HVAC energy consumption by patient rooms can be a major contributor
to a hospital’s overall HVAC energy usage because they are constantly occupied. This high occupancy
rate, along with the space’s minimum air change requirements, should be a focus of methods to
minimize energy use. Design requirements for minimum air changes may result in excessive reheating
of supply air from central air-handling units in certain climate zones and building exposures.
Protective Environment Isolati