Event

RECSI September Dinner Program

History of Changing Concepts on Hospital Ventilation

Health care architects and engineers have stressed the need for ventilation since the 1860s. Travis' talk will summarize the history of many changing concepts in health care ventilation practices. He'll compare these developments to the history of ventilation rates used in other nonresidential buildings. Topics covered include: Progression from miasma to germ theory and the architectural influence of miasma, the origin of 2 ACH as an outside air ventilation standard, discovery of airborne germs, historical progression of nonresidential outdoor air rates and comparative progression of health care outdoor air rates, the advent and progression of health care codes in the U.S., use of filtered or outdoor air as a sepsis control technique, ventilation reforms and pressures resulting from the U.S. energy crisis of the 1970s, tuberculosis and construction dust controls, historical progression of clean air technology and relevance to health care spaces, modern advancements in nonresidential ventilation, and the consensus of literature on the relevance of air quality to infection control.

Presented by Travis R. English, PE, CEP, LEED AP, Chief Design Engineer, Kaiser Permanente

Travis English is the 'chief design engineer' and Facilities Planning & Design Engineering Manager for Kaiser Permanente. He manages the team who authors and administers KP's engineering design criteria. Travis has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA. He has more than 20 years of experience in design and construction of mechanical and energy systems for institutional, commercial, laboratory, and health care facilities, with an emphasis on high performance and low-energy design, indoor air quality, and building control systems. "I believe that excellent engineering design - outcomes-based, value-driven, and research-informed - can drive deep value into our building portfolio."