SUSTAINABILITY
rate. Such arrangements are made possible through a solar power purchase agreement guide that provides a framework and structured renewable energy agreement in implementing the SPS program in healthcare facilities. The move will not only help in the transition towards renewable energy sources but is also crucial in helping the nation to achieve its carbon neutral goal by 2050.
The next generation maintenance staff and managers The ever-changing healthcare environment requires focused training for the next generation of maintenance staff and managers of healthcare facilities. Therefore, a Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) training program has been introduced into the Malaysian healthcare facility management market through collaboration with local universities. The training program was designed to ensure that FM companies in the healthcare sector both public and private have the knowledge, skill, and professionalism to carry out FM business efficiently (Kwawu & Elmualim, 2011). The modules and training content were designed and endorsed by Advisory Council for Certified Healthcare Facility Management (IAC-CHFM) and recognised by MOH in 2015 (Zaidi & Kamaluddin, 2018). The content also covers modules on sustainable facility and energy management, which is compatible with the sustainability goal of MOH. Subsequently, the training program is now being regulated by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Act (Act 520) as part of the contractors registration requirement under healthcare FM (F02) group (CIDB, 2017). Currently, over 150 professionals - primarily employees of the FM companies - as well as another 100 MOH engineers have successfully completed the CHFM course.
Hydrogen-based power solutions the next step? A more recent sustainability initiative for healthcare facilities in Malaysia is the application of a hydrogen gas electrification system for a rural healthcare clinic. There are a significant number of rural clinics isolated from the national power grid that rely on generators for power, resulting in a limited ability to provide healthcare services with the modern technology to the rural community. However, 2022 marked another
milestone for Malaysian healthcare facilities when a hydrogen fuel cell system was successfully commissioned and tested in a Borneo Sarawak rural clinic, providing green and clean uninterrupted power supply. The system is tied to a solar PV system where access power from the
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Figure 4. Chiller retrofit at Hospital Teluk Intan applying variable-speed, oil-free centrifugal chillers with magnetic bearings.
solar PV system passes through the electrolyser during the day to generate and store hydrogen gas, as shown in Figure 6. The hydrogen will power the fuel cell during the night-time to give the clinic the power it needs. The cost to deliver and provide such
infrastructure to rural healthcare facilities is still high but expected to become competitive over a long-term energy supply scenario. Hydrogen fuel cell technology is an emerging technology in the Malaysian healthcare sector and perhaps one day it will become widely available in both rural and urban healthcare facilities given the positive development of the technology locally and abroad.
Challenges and the way forward Around the world, many government mandates for sustainability already exist, as governments ask for their buildings to be more efficient and sustainable (IFMA,
2011). However, financial and time constraints, as well as lack of knowledge and awareness, are barriers that need to be continually addressed. Future retrofitting projects for government healthcare buildings require substantial amounts of financing to achieve energy efficiency and green building goals. Building technology systems for smart building, electric ambulances, waste to energy generation, and passive building retrofits are several future potential projects to be implemented. Business model such as EPC will continue to be an attractive choice for MOH to decarbonise its healthcare facilities and will continue to be expanded. To compliment this is the replacement through maintenance program (RTM) that allows FM companies to replace aging medical equipment without going through the normal procurement hassle. There are also ongoing challenges in terms of human capital development as
Figure 5. Solar thermal hot water supply system in Hospital Miri Sarawak. IFHE DIGEST 2023
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