Hospital buildings consume large amounts of energy compared to other commercial buildings while the potential of energy saving in their premises is high.
Current regulations in Europe and worldwide promote the energy renovation of public and private buildings in order to become nearly zero energy buildings while by 2050 in EU and in many other countries, hospitals should have net zero carbon emissions due to energy use.
Energy saving is the first step for zeroing their net carbon emissions due to energy use followed by the broad utilization of low or zero carbon emissions energy technologies. Various studies have indicated that hospitals can reduce their annual energy consumption by around 20-40% while a 10% energy reduction can be easily achieved within the first year. The remaining energy required can be covered with low-carbon and renewable energy technologies replacing the fossil fuels used.
Energy can be saved in hospitals in various areas. The main sectors that energy consumption can be reduced in hospitals include:
- The building envelope. Buildings in many hospitals have been constructed with old building codes having poor energy performance. Improvements in building’s envelope can reduce significantly the requirements for heating and cooling,
- The HVAC system. HVAC systems in hospitals utilize 50% or more of their total electricity consumption. Improvements of HVAC systems can significantly reduce the energy demand,
- The lighting system. Many hospitals have old and energy inefficient lighting systems. Their replacement with new systems having low energy consumption can reduce significantly the total energy use,
Additionally, energy saving in hospitals can be achieved from:
- Better use of medical equipment. Medical equipment utilizes significant amounts of energy either during their operation or during stand-by mode.
- Better control of various parameters. Installation of sensors and appropriate control of various parameters including lighting, heating, cooling in hospitals can reduce their energy demand, and
- Behavior changes. Behavior changes of staff, patients and visitors result in energy saving in hospitals. The cost of behavior changes is low compared with the previously mentioned methods.
