As parts of the United States brace for a dangerous wildfire season, new research involving Adelaide University experts suggests some hospitals may need to rethink how their ventilation systems work to protect the health of patients and conserve energy.
A RACE for 2030 founded project at Australian hospital, Echuca Regional Health, provided real-world evidence from the January 2026 bushfires in Victoria, showing that hospital ventilation systems can maintain high indoor air quality during prolonged smoke events, while also reducing dependence on outdoor air and lowering energy demand.
The study found the new air filtration system tested at the site was able to reduce the amount of bushfire smoke entering the hospital by 1,000-fold, while also lowering energy consumption by 34 per cent.
“What this study demonstrates is that indoor air quality can be stabilised during these events without increasing exposure to external pollutants contained in bushfire smoke, which can irritate the lungs,” said Professor Dino Pisaniello, Adjunct Professor in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene at Adelaide University’s School of Public Health.
“This is increasingly important as climate extremes become part of normal operating conditions.”
The trial compared two similar hospital air handling units operating side-by-side: one using full outdoor-air ventilation with conventional filters, and the other operating with reduced outdoor air, supported by advanced air treatment provided by a bioHEPA unit. Performance was monitored continuously during a prolonged bushfire smoke episode.
The early findings challenge a long-standing assumption underpinning ventilation design – that using outdoor air is cleaner and safer than recirculating indoor air in hospitals. During bushfires, that assumption is increasingly tested, as smoke can persist for days and often coincides with periods of high heat and energy demand.
“Healthcare facilities often rely on outdoor air ventilation systems for infection control, but this often results in high energy consumption,” said Dr Timothy Lau, project Chief Investigator and clean-energy engineering expert from Adelaide University’s School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
“Having the ability to lower energy consumption while still providing clean, purified air free from contaminants would be a positive development and could have wider applications for other industries.”
Tosh Szatow, Business Innovation & Policy Lead at RACE for 2030, said the results highlight an important opportunity for healthcare infrastructure.
“This project shows that reducing hospital energy use and protecting indoor air quality are not mutually exclusive. That is a critical insight as Australia prepares for climate adaptation, faces more frequent smoke events and increasing pressure on hospital energy systems,” Mr Szatow said.
The findings may also have implications for other hospitals and high-level commercial buildings where contaminants in air quality can be monitored in real time.
“Pandemic modes conventionally required immense outdoor air. Now hospitals can achieve that higher standard of care, lower risk to patients and staff, whilst still reducing energy and emissions,” said Ben Gill, CEO of Plasma Shield Ltd.