Advertorial | Hospital Engineering Summit 2023: The path to sustainable healthcare design

As healthcare and environmental sustainability get increasingly intertwined, HOSMAC - a pioneer in the field of Hospital Planning, Design & Management Consultancy in India - hosted the fourth edition of the Hospital Engineering Summit in Mumbai. Held in association with CNBC-TV18, the event focused on ‘Sustainable Hospital Design’. It brought together experts from diverse fields, to explore solutions for creating healthcare spaces that are not only efficient, but also environmentally friendly, more economical, and human-centric.

The proceedings kicked off with a thought-provoking keynote address by Deepa Sathiaram, the Executive Director of En3 Sustainability Solutions. Highlighting the profound impact of sustainable designs on health, energy efficiency and the environment, she referred to India’s goal to achieve zero emissions by 2017, saying, "Everybody talks about the target of ensuring no more than a two-degree rise in temperature by the end of this century. Globally, countries in COP27 have committed to reducing carbon emissions to limit global temperature increases. For India, as a nation that has just begun to scale the development curve, this presents a colossal challenge. A big chunk of zero carbon and sustainability is driven by energy-related activities and how we manage our energy, both at the design and operation phase, becomes very critical for India's future."

Panel discussion (Image: As provided by HOSMAC)

Next up, UK Ananthapadmanabhan, Founder and CEO of Tenxhealth Technologies, presented an exemplary case study on Hyper-automation in Engineering Services of Healthcare Facilities. He demonstrated how hyper-automation could play a pivotal role in revolutionizing engineering services within healthcare facilities by streamlining operations, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring optimal patient care. All this would ultimately contribute to a safer, more cost-effective, and patient-centric healthcare environment.

The event showcased a series of compelling panel discussions, the first of which was themed ‘Going Beyond Patient-centricity with Human-centred Hospital Design’. Moderated by Ar. Prasanna Wategaonkar, Associate Director - Design Services at HOSMAC, the panel featured distinguished experts such as Dr. Santosh Shetty, CEO & Executive Director, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital; Prithi Pendhakar, Business Practice Lead- Health, Cannon Design; Tina Mehta, Paediatrician, Srimad Rajchandra Hospital and Sudeep Kolte, Vice President Sales and Marketing - Saint-Gobain. The discussion delved into the innovative design principles necessary for creating healing environments that cater not only to patients but also to their families, caregivers, hospital providers, and the broader community.

After a thought-provoking case study presentation on ‘Harnessing Evidence-based Hospital Design’, by Dr Sanjeev Singh, Medical Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Faridabad, another enlightening panel discussion on ‘Energy Conservation Through Architectural Design’ followed. Moderated by Ar. Nandini Bazaz, Director – Design Services, HOSMAC, the panellists included professor Surya Kakani, former dean-Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University and Principal Architect, Kakani Associates; Rahul Kadri, Partner and Principal Architect, IMK Architects and Tulsinathan, General Manager – Facility, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai. As they explored ground-breaking strategies for achieving energy efficiency through architectural innovation, the key takeaways underscored the importance of integrating sustainability into the very fabric of healthcare infrastructure.

Dr Vivek Desai (Image: As provided by HOSMAC)

The summit progressed, with another key note address on ‘Innovation in Hospital Construction Design’ by Nithyanand Natarajan, Joint GM & Head - Health Business Initiatives, L&T Construction. The speaker addressed global trends in healthcare project implementation and shed light on how India can align itself with global best practices in healthcare infrastructure development.

This segment also featured a Technical Chat on ‘Digital Solutions: Making Hospitals Green and Lean’ between Vinay Rajure, Founder & CEA of INNOVIEA and Manish Sharma, Lead - Cloud Healthcare & Lifesciences Solutions, Google India and a panel discussion on ‘Maintaining Optimal Indoor Air Quality in Hospitals’. Led by Sameer Mehta, Director – Projects, HOSMAC, the panellists, which included Dr. Parag Ringdani, CEO, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai, Anil Menon, Head of Projects, Jaslok Hospital and Sunil Khatwani, COO, Citizen Industries, discussed the importance of indoor air quality in patient care and recovery and various related issues.

This was followed by a case study presented by Arjun Gupta, Co-founder, and CEO of Smart Joules, where he discussed innovative ways to consume energy in a hospital facility.

The last discussion, on ‘Nuts and Bolts of MEP Maintenance’, delved into the intricacies of maintaining complex healthcare infrastructure. Moderated by Dr. Vivek Desai, Founder & Managing Director, HOSMAC, it highlighted the shift towards in-house maintenance, driven by the unique challenges posed by healthcare facilities. The panellists included Satish Kamble, Associate Director- MEP, HOSMAC; Sharad Garud, General Manager, HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Kunal Punamiya, Facility Director, SL Raheja Hospital. They presented innovative solutions for revolutionizing energy conservation in hospitals and shared their insights on how innovations can transform healthcare facilities into energy-efficient powerhouses, reducing both costs and environmental impact.

With his experience as the Founder of HOSMAC, Dr Vivek Desai brought the focus to the core theme of sustainable hospital design, emphasizing the need to curb energy consumption for a greener, cost-effective healthcare future. He noted, "It's not only about the design; while design parameters are important, coordination during implementation is equally critical."

The Hospital Engineering Summit 2023 brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including hospital owners, CXOs, planners, architects, engineers, and consultants. It concluded with a remarkable exchange of knowledge and the formation of bonds among attendees. Their collective commitment holds the promise of catalysing transformative shifts in hospital designs while the on-going dialogue ignited sustainable innovation, offering the best optimization solutions for hospitals across the globe. This commitment to sustainability not only promises a greener future but also a more efficient and effective healthcare delivery for generations to come.