CARBON AND ENERGY REDUCTION
groundwork for smarter decision-making. This allows decision-makers to have greater insight in understanding their energy consumption profile, to identify the options and project interventions to invest resources in. We worked with UK Biocentre, a
Chase Farm Hospital, part of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, is currently working with eEnergy on installing a 95.7 kWp solar system projected to generate 85,529 kWh of electricity per year, and a saving of £398,000, while reducing carbon emissions by 16.5 tCO2
e annually.
healthcare organisations will observe a large decrease in the time afforded to maintain and replace lighting fixtures, both internal and external. This allows maintenance staff to deal with more urgent matters in supporting patient care. Inefficient lighting is of course just one of the many ways that hospitals generate significant amounts of energy waste. A variety of equipment used by healthcare professionals is not energy-efficient by design, and unused equipment is often left running when not in use. What’s more, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can lead to excessive waste of energy due to poor maintenance and misuse.
Behavioural change Behavioural change is a crucial and inexpensive way to reduce energy waste within healthcare environments. Healthcare professionals can implement protocols for all staff to power down equipment, control its overheating and overcooling, ensure
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regular maintenance and calibration of thermostats, and set up equipment to enter ‘sleep mode’ when not in use – all of which can save a considerable amount of energy, carbon, and cost. Simple processes like the implementation of staff protocols can cut phantom power consumption – such as equipment that consumes energy even when not in use – and inefficient practices that often exist in healthcare environments. However, to do this properly, healthcare leaders need to understand what energy is being wasted, and how to fix it.
The power of intelligent metering Understanding when, where, and how energy is consumed is key to achieving Net Zero. Intelligent metering enables Facilities managers, directors, and CEOs, to identify and monitor energy usage and visualise energy data down to an individual circuit level. Access to granular insights, combined with a comprehensive understanding of energy use, lay the
Behavioural change is a crucial and inexpensive method to reduce energy waste within healthcare environments. Healthcare professionals can implement protocols for all staff to power down equipment, control its overheating and overcooling, ensure regular maintenance and calibration of thermostats, and set up equipment to enter ‘sleep mode’ when not in use – all of which can save a considerable amount of energy, carbon, and cost
68 Health Estate Journal February 2024
non-profit organisation that played an instrumental role in COVID-19 testing, and has grown rapidly in the last few years, to support biosample processing and storage for clients in the academic, industrial, and health services. During the pandemic, UK Biocentre needed to quickly understand how to make the existing testing process more energy efficient. Our team of engineers installed 40 sensors, three communication bridges, and one power meter across The National Biosample Centre in Milton Keynes within four days. Energy measurement technology was also installed in 26 different machines to capture machine-level data that led to the identification of three energy efficiency projects that are significantly reducing the energy used by them.
Shining a light on building efficiency in real time By shining a light on building efficiency in real time, and understanding energy consumption and wastage, healthcare leaders can make informed decisions about how to proceed on their Net Zero journey, and how to create behaviour change in their organisations. Most of the businesses we work with save up to 10% just by making small behavioural interventions. It’s no surprise that healthcare Estate
directors, Trust CEOs, and CFOs, often feel unsure about the energy-saving options that are best for their facility, providing the ‘best bang for their buck’. There are so many options available, and it can often feel overwhelming. This is because each estate and facility has unique and varied infrastructure, and healthcare buildings host a variety of energy-consuming assets – there is no one-size-fits-all approach to reducing carbon emissions and cost. Of course there’s the option to upgrade the machinery and equipment used to more energy-efficient models to help lower electricity bills – but this isn’t always possible due to budget limitations. Instead, healthcare organisations can leverage and monetise existing facilities. Healthcare sites can become self-
generating through the adoption of solar PV technology. Hospitals often have large and flat roofs, meaning they offer an excellent base for installing solar PV systems for example. One Trust that we are currently working with, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, is in the process of installing a 95.7 kWp solar system for Chase Farm Hospital. The system is
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