Preventative HVAC Maintenance | Red Deer Hospice Case Study

Jul 30, 2026
Articles of InterestGeneralSuccess Stories

About Red Deer Hospice

Red Deer Hospice plays a vital role in providing compassionate end-of-life care in central Alberta, providing a warm environment for residents and their families during life’s most sensitive moments. As a non-profit organization, every operational dollar must be used wisely — making reliable, cost-effective facility management not just a preference, but a necessity.

With a building that operates around the clock, 365 days a year, consistent indoor comfort is critical to resident comfort and staff wellbeing. Unlike a typical commercial facility, moving a resident to another room due to a comfort issue is rarely an option — which means equipment reliability and a calm, uninterrupted environment are non-negotiable.

The Challenge

Servicing a hospice is unlike any other facility environment. Red Deer Hospice presented a set of operational demands that required a maintenance partner with both technical expertise and genuine sensitivity:

  • Resident Comfort Above All: Temperature and air quality directly affect the wellbeing of residents living with serious illness. Any disruption — whether noise, odor, or discomfort from failing equipment — carries a human impact far greater than in a typical commercial building.
  • No Easy Workarounds: In most facilities, a maintenance issue in one area can be managed by relocating occupants. At a hospice, that is rarely feasible. Equipment must be kept operational, and when work is required, it must be carried out with minimal disruption to residents and families.
  • Aging AC Equipment: Older, less reliable air conditioning units in resident suites were creating inconsistent comfort and increasing the risk of failure, particularly during critical summer months.
  • Consistent, Responsive Service: A facility that operates 24/7 requires a maintenance partner that can be counted on, not one that is difficult to reach or slow to respond when something goes wrong.

The Solution

Since January 2022, Nordic has served as Red Deer Hospice’s dedicated facility maintenance partner. Our approach was built around three core principles: proactive care, clear communication, and an understanding that we are all working toward the same goal — the best possible environment for residents and staff.

1. Regular HVAC Maintenance

Nordic provides scheduled, seasonal HVAC maintenance across the facility. We cover inspections, filter changes, coil cleaning, belt checks, and system tune-ups. This keeps all equipment running efficiently and catches issues before they become failures, protecting the comfort of residents at all times.

 2. Refrigeration Check-Ups

In addition to HVAC systems, Nordic provides regular refrigeration inspections to ensure kitchen and medical refrigeration equipment is operating correctly. This can often be an overlooked but essential component of any care facility’s operations.

 
3. Resident Suite AC Replacement

A key project in this partnership was the full replacement of all 10 air conditioning units in resident suites. The aging units were unreliable and energy-inefficient. Nordic replaced every unit with modern, high-efficiency models — delivering more consistent comfort, quieter operation, and measurably lower energy consumption.

 4. Communication & Responsiveness

Nordic’s team maintains open, proactive communication with the Hospice’s facility staff. We provide updates, flag concerns early, and are available when it matters. We recognize that in this environment, our work must be carried out with a calm, respectful presence that reflects the values of the facility we serve.

What Makes this Partnership Different

Maintaining a hospice is not like maintaining a commercial office or retail space. It requires a team that understands the stakes and conducts every site visit with that understanding. For Nordic, success here means:

  • Working Quietly & Respectfully: Our technicians understand they are guests in a space where residents are living through deeply personal moments. Every visit is conducted with minimal noise, minimal disruption, and maximum care.
  • Shared Goals: Nordic approaches this partnership as a collaboration. We work with the Hospice’s facility team to understand their priorities, accommodate their constraints, and find solutions that work for everyone — including the residents.
  • Compromise & Flexibility: When scheduling or access challenges arise, our team is willing to adapt. We recognize that the needs of residents always come first, and we plan our work accordingly.

Benefits

Resident Comfort Through Nordic’s ongoing preventative maintenance program, all HVAC equipment is regularly inspected and serviced to help ensure reliable performance, minimize unexpected breakdowns, and maintain a comfortable environment for residents and their families.
Energy Efficiency New AC units and ongoing maintenance tune-ups reduce energy consumption across the facility, lowering operational costs for the non-profit.
Peace of Mind Red Deer Hospice has confidence that their HVAC and refrigeration equipment is regularly serviced, limiting the risk of unexpected downtime or discomfort.
At Red Deer Hospice, every decision we make is guided by the comfort and dignity of our residents and their families. Nordic understands that maintaining our building is really about helping us care for the people inside it. Their team is responsive, respectful, and flexible, always working around the needs of our residents and families while minimizing disruption to our home. Over the years, they've become a trusted part of our Hospice community. And yes, they've even learned that no visit is complete without one of our fresh-baked treats.
Jackie Van Langen, Executive Director - Red Deer Hospice