Nearly Zero Energy Hospital Buildings

Hans Besselink

REHVA Fellow

International Delegate TVVL

Senior Consultant RoyalhaskoningDHV

hans.besselink@rhdhv.com

Hospitals throughout the world are major energy consumers, so REHVA and TVVL started in 2015 a preliminary study to find the answers and the directions to help owners of hospital buildings to comply with future regulations on nearly zero energy hospital buildings. This preliminary study on nZeb Hospitals was handed over to the Technology and Research Committee of REHVA in 2017 and is now available via the REHVA Restricted Area – TRC Documents.

One part of the preliminary study included a workshop that was held during CLIMA 2016 in Alborg, Denmark. During that workshop, the input was provided by the participants from different REHVA members. The intent of the workshop was also to find collaborators for the preliminary study.

The collaborators of the workshop and a team of international researchers and practitioners were willing to work on this REHVA Journal October issue on nZeb Hospitals.

We present a broad pallet of visions from case studies based on the five steps: “trias energetica” method to the Pareto analysis that can help the designers to find the directions to the nZeb Hospital. The patient is not forgotten in all these energy saving matters as you can read in the article that’s paying heed to the patients’ thermal comfort and in a special article that pays attention to the impact of the engineering of ventilation grills. A thorough energy analysis is presented to you to find the theoretical approach to nZexhb. Also, we have tree articles that inform you about new design ideas, about a code reform from US, a UK perspective to move hospital design to an nZeb, an interesting idea to look further than nZeb and take a look of the impact of waste generated by hospitals. After all the saving issues, we must be aware that there is no energy gap between what we have planned and finally realize.

After the preliminary study on nZeb Hospitals, REHVA decided to have further research on this important topic resulting in a REHVA Guidebook. All the information gathered in the preliminary study and the content of the REHVA Journal October 2017 issue on nZeb Hospitals will form the basis of the REHVA Guidebook that is planned to be ready in 2019. If you are interested to participate, or want to help us realizing this project, we still are looking for co-financers to finance this important project, please contact me by e-mail.

It was a pleasure for me to be the guest editor of this REHVA issue on nZeb Hospitals and many thanks to all that gave their extensive contribution.