ST JOHN OF GOD HOSPITAL

Private hospital undertakes the Greenhouse Challenge.

Just because a hospital increases its size and its services doesn't mean its energy consumption has to increase also. Effective energy management and some wise capital investment led St John of God Hospital Murdoch to record a 12.03% reduction in energy use even after a number of expansion projects.

In late 2002, St John of God Hospital (SJGH) Murdoch undertook a site evaluation in line with the Greenhouse Challenge. The evaluation comprised a walk-through assessment to determine areas where reductions of greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved.

The assessment of the 30,000 square metre floor area, 320+ bed health campus identified that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could be realised in the areas of waste recycling, HVAC and building services, medical gases and through the use of renewable energy.

In the following year, SJGH Murdoch became an active participant in the Greenhouse Challenge by committing to a program to reduce greenhouse emissions and to provide the necessary financial and administrative support to achieve reduction targets.

With input from management and staff, a more rigorous approach to recycling was adopted resulting in a more defined recycling program. This included an increased number of categories for recyclable items, additional recycling bins and the installation of a larger cardboard compaction plant. The implementation of a more efficient recycling system was accomplished in a relatively short period of time and did not require a large capital outlay. It also assisted in raising the awareness of recycling and greenhouse emissions throughout the campus.

The HVAC and building services required a more staged approach to identify the main areas for reducing greenhouse emissions. HVAC services are typically the main consumers of energy within a building. They are also the service that can often provide the greatest opportunity to improve plant operation, lessen operating costs and reduce greenhouse emissions in relatively short payback periods to offset any capital investment.

Initiatives

A review of the hospital's HVAC systems carried out by ACMV Design Consultants identified that the main areas to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse emissions, in order of highest return on capital investment, were:

-	Improving the performance, staging and control of the 4,400 kW chiller plant
-	Improving the load profile and performance of the steam, heating and hot water boiler plant (approx 2,700 kW)
-	Replacing the existing pneumatic controls with digital controls to improve the operation and control of eight of the original operating theatre air-handling units and associated plant that operates 24/7
-	Improving the performance and control of the air-handling plant serving the Day Surgery area by improving the existing digital control routines and tuning the six air-handling units and associated plant.
-	Use of variable speed drives on chilled water and condenser water pumps where possible without compromising the operation of the chiller
-	Gradual replacement of the existing pneumatic controls with direct digital controls and the provision of improved control routines to various air-handling units and associated plant and equipment.

Since 2003, SJGH Murdoch, in conjunction with ACMV Design Consultants, has progressively implemented a program of remedial works as funds have become available. Works on the chiller and boiler plant have been completed and work on the Operating Theatre and Day Procedure Unit air-handling plant is currently in progress.

THE RESULTS

The Cost

The new 25 m3 bailing plant was installed for approximately $36,000, to replace a smaller bailing unit and sulo bins that (combined) cost approximately $1,000 a month to hire and operate.

The smaller system could not cope with the total cardboard disposal and added approximately 30% to general waste disposal costs. To hire the larger compactor would have cost approximately $1,200 per month plus operating costs. Given the volume of the cardboard the site generated and capital amortisation, purchasing the larger compactor resulted in a payback of between 2 - 3 years.

The Greenhouse Challenge remedial works to the air conditioning plant cost approximately $112,000. Annual energy consumption for 2004/2005 was in the order of $950,000 per annum. Although the Hospital has expanded, a reduction in energy consumption of around 12% has been achieved. This suggests that a payback on capital expenditure of 2 - 3 years across the site would be realised.

The Benefits

The benefits have been an overall reduction in greenhouse emissions since commencement of the Greenhouse Challenge program.

The hospital has grown with the addition of a 70 bed ward, new Central Sterile Supply Department, expanded Emergency Department, two additional operating theatres and the installation of an 1100 kW chiller.

These changes resulted in an increase in occupied floor area from approximately 30,000 m2 to 37,000 m2 and an increase in patient bed days of 12%. However, the hospital recorded a reduction of 15 % in greenhouse gas emissions and a 12% reduction in energy consumption between November 2004 and November 2005.

Lessons Learnt

The initiatives implemented to date have resulted in a best practice review of the operation and performance of the Hospital's building services and assets and this identified some design and operational shortfalls. These have resulted from the evolution of the site's building construction program over the past 12 years.

This has prompted the Hospital to be more proactive in the design, construction and commissioning stages of current and future projects to ensure that building services and engineering systems installed operate as efficiently as possible. This will also ensure that the systems are sustainable over the longer term and are able to meet the ever-changing functional requirements of the Hospital ensuring that items such as sustainability, energy efficiency and energy management are built into the design of the building's services.

"The Greenhouse Challenge has committed SJGH Murdoch management and staff to reduce greenhouse emissions and has allowed the identification and prioritisation of remedial works to ensure that the capital outcomes match investments, and that effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are realised.
We are very pleased with the positive outcome of the greenhouse reduction program and added benefits have been the improved efficiency of plant operations, enhanced comfort levels throughout the Hospital and a reduction in operating energy costs. We envisage reviewing our electrical services once the main opportunities have been addressed in HVAC services" -Rod Blockley, Chief Hospital Engineer, 2005.