HVAC SYSTEMS
Above: A Wilo hydraulic pump system.
Left: All three of the existing pumps in the metabolic laboratory’s plant room at Sunderland Royal Hospital – which were between 16 and 18 years’ old – were replaced with a new Wilo system, pictured.
to enter these areas, so as to not cause any additional problems. For example, industry professionals are encouraged to undertake CSCS training, and also to pass the obligatory CITB health, safety, and environment test.
Achieving NHS Net Zero ‘the smart way’ Once the plant room’s contents have been established, and a suitable plan has been established on how to stay on top of maintaining the pumps inside them, a collaborative effort from Estates managers, pump manufacturers, and industry specialists, can catalyse the NHS’ ambition to reach Net Zero. In recent years, one of the most significant innovations in the efficient running of healthcare facilities has
been the advent of ‘smart’ technology, which has reduced the responsibility on individuals by introducing helpful automated solutions. Smart pumps, for instance, not only move water around a building, but they also provide immediate energy savings through intelligent, automated operation which can be used to establish an ongoing energy usage strategy in a healthcare setting. To illustrate this, pumps like the Wilo-Stratos MAXO are designed to ‘learn’ the operational characteristics of a heating or cooling system. Used in conjunction, circulating pumps can be configured to adapt in real time to demands, and operate holistically with other building services. These ‘smart’ functions simultaneously supply Estates managers with detailed data while keeping plant and equipment
running optimally by identifying any issues before they risk causing disruption through inefficient operation, or even breaking down. Performance data, warnings, alerts, and notifications can ensure that systems are always maintained and working to their highest efficiency. The advances in smart pump technology provide data on heat, volume, and cooling flow. Combining this data with other smart systems yields a better insight into usage patterns, which can result in better-regulated indoor climate control that keeps power and water usage to a minimum, reducing needless energy usage and expenditure. Manufacturers can help users, such as an NHS Estates and Facilities Department, to specify the right pumps for the application, in addition to forecasting energy and cost savings. Wilo, for instance, can provide an energy audit while drawing up an asset list. These audits will reveal quantifiable cost and carbon savings that will help to determine the ROI, as well as how many years it will take to repay investment in a smart pump.
Wilo says that pumps like the Wilo-Stratos MAXO are designed to ‘learn’ the operational characteristics of a heating or cooling system.
54 Health Estate Journal April 2024
Futureproofing in full flow The first step to correctly specifying and maintaining pumps in the healthcare setting is simply acknowledging the need to do so. One NHS hospital in the north- east of England did just that – last summer Sunderland Royal Hospital approached Wilo and initially asked it to conduct an energy survey of one of the estate’s several plant rooms. The plant room in question was associated with the hospital’s metabolic laboratory, an underground area difficult to navigate through narrow and dark corridors. During the survey, it was determined that the three existing pumps working in the metabolic laboratory’s plant room were between 16 and 18 years’ old, and therefore in need of replacement.
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