MCA (Medical Center Assenede) is a healthcare facility where five general practitioners and 24 specialists and healthcare professionals provide services. To ensure efficient and simple management of the building's systems, Qbus was chosen. This allows for full integration between access control, telephony, and the building management system.
Whereas local residents used to have to travel 20 kilometers to the nearest hospital, MCA now offers specialized care in a single location in Assenede.
IWithin MCA, various services are shared among the medical staff. There are two administrative assistants, shared waiting rooms, meeting spaces, and consultation rooms. The top floor also houses three apartments.
“All doctors have a badge that grants them access to their consultation rooms and the common areas,” says Wouter Dhaenens of Elektro Dhaenens. “The Qbus system then knows when a doctor is present in a consultation room, and that room is activated: the phone line is opened, the heating is set to 21°C, and the lights turn on. When the doctor leaves, the lights are switched off, the heating is lowered by a few degrees, and the phone is automatically redirected to the reception. After hours, calls are automatically forwarded to a call center.”
Efficient Heating and Cooling with User-Friendly Control
For heating and cooling, a gas absorption heat pump was installed, supplemented by convectors in the rooms. “Thanks to deep boreholes, the heat pump can ensure a comfortable 21°C throughout the year,” explains Jurgen Van De Walle of ProHeating Systems. “However, in each room, the desired temperature for heating or cooling can be adjusted individually. The room’s user can request the desired temperature either via a local thermostat or through a PC, tablet, or smartphone. Local convectors in the room then provide the necessary heating or cooling. Overheating of the building is prevented through heat recovery in the ventilation system. The recovered energy is reused by the heat pump in areas where heating is needed.
All of these technologies are managed by Qbus, eliminating complexity for the user and enabling easy, intuitive operation.