Balancing Sustainability and Safety: Reducing HVAC Air Exchange Rates in Operating Rooms Without Increasing Infection Risk

Compared to other industries, the healthcare sector disproportionately contributes to negative environmental burdens. Operating rooms (ORs) are the most energy-intensive and waste-producing areas within a hospital. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in ORs are energy intensive and designed to maintain a high rate of air exchanges. The purpose of this study was to reduce HVAC air exchange rates while balancing surgical site infections (SSI) incidence rates as a key patient safety metric.