A low energy green hospital.
This paper describes a unique project to monitor and evaluate a range of energy saving techniques and measures installed in a hospital in the North East of England. The aims of the project were: to test theoretical studies that had identified measures that could achieve savings in energy usage in hospitals to test the economic viability of the energy saving measures and determine whether they are suitable for replication in new, as well as existing hospitals to provide experience of energy saving techniques and measures in an operational hospital to provide a comprehensive database of information on how energy is used in hospitals The results from the project show that it is possible to significantly reduce the energy consumption in hospitals. Over the three year monitoring period, it is calculated that the hospital used an average of 39% less energy per annum than a comparable, conventional hospital. This energy saving also represents a reduction in CO2 emissions of 1900 tonnes per annum. The project has provided reliable data and information that has contributed to a much better understanding of how energy is used in hospitals.