Infrastructure
It took just 45 minutes for the team to make the key arrangements and plan for this mission , which was to provide full support for building the infrastructure of a makeshift hospital , including a communications system , safety system , and elevator alarm system .
In Wuhan , where COVID-19 emerged for the first time in 2019 , �ohnson Controls was enlisted to respond to the crisis at the city ’ s Taikang Tongji Hospital .
It took just 45 minutes for the team to make the key arrangements and plan for this mission , which was to provide full support for building the infrastructure of a makeshift hospital , including a communications system , safety system , and elevator alarm system .
“ The challenge was an urgent one ,” said Kang . “ It was to build the necessary infrastructure to support 300 beds to treat patients infected with a disease about which very little was known .”
Within 12 hours , the Johnson Controls team was mobilised , and safety plans and guidelines were put in place to protect the workforce . The company ’ s first batch of medical protective supplies , such as protective clothing , goggles , and masks , had arrived . Twenty hours into the operation , an advanced group comprising a project leader arrived in Wuhan . They discussed and confirmed the construction plan and then raced against time to complete the building of the makeshift hospital .
“ Although we cannot directly resist the epidemic , like the healthcare workers , we could still contribute indirectly with our engineering skills ,” said Kang .
In over just 72 hours , the makeshift section of the hospital was completed , and safety assurance and network communication systems for the whole hospital were deployed and made functional . But with the situation escalating still further after the work was completed , the hospital required an additional 600 beds to accommodate severely ill patients .
In the following three days , 860 critical beds were equipped with essential medical intercom and nurse call systems . Systems for video visitation , surveillance , access control , and public announcements were installed alongside energy management and building automation systems .
“ We enabled the hospital team to maintain continuity of care to more patients and mitigate the risk for patients and caregivers during the COVID-19 outbreak ,” said Kang .
The hospital had survived the onset of the crisis , stating afterwards that it had “ responded to an urgent situation and delivered something that was basically impossible to accomplish at the outset ”.
To address the initial challenge , Kang ’ s team had to first assess the situation by looking at what was available and how it could be integrated into a building-wide response .
For example , to increase patient capacity , they turned standard patient rooms into negative-pressure isolation rooms and brought in quick-ship-and-build HVAC equipment and sourced rental equipment .
To enhance communications , they employed wireless networks and deployed a real-time locating system to track staff and patients . Safety features included access controls , video surveillance for remote monitoring in the cloud , thermal video cameras , panic buttons , and monitoring of fire alarm systems .
�iven that infectious disease facilities need to filter air for negative pressure so the virus is contained , Johnson Controls employed mobile modular HEPA fans that filter air for negative pressure rooms or clean air in general wards . This equipment is able to remove up to 99.95 percent of particles that contain bacteria or viruses across a range of speeds , and , importantly in a critical care setting , operate quietly with high static pressure .
The equipment is also available with ionisers and ultraviolet disinfection systems to destroy bio-organisms and protect the environment from airborne germs while reducing odours and chemical contaminants .
In addition to its work in Wuhan , Kang ’ s team has been able to convert existing unused large spaces , such as exhibition centres into purposed facilities , as it has done in Singapore at its OpenBlue innovation centre that shows off the company ’ s built environment capabilities in partnership with the National University Singapore ( NUS ).
�Artificial Intelligence and machine learning will play a pre-eminent role in reshaping how we create comfort for people and energy efficiency in a building ,” said Kang . “ Our unprecedented focus on co-innovating cutting-edge technologies through collaborations , such as with NUS , will spark greater innovation and true differentiation for our customers . � Kang believes the pandemic will have a lasting impact on healthcare facilities and prompt a new way of thinking among facilities managers .
Envirco IsoClean ® Portable HEPA Filtration System
54 AUGUST 2021 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com