This week’s Going Green! features West Park Healthcare Centre’s ongoing conservation program, highlighting its most recent phase of retrofits which generate annual savings of $192,316.
West Park’s conservation program began in 1986 to explore strategies for reducing water and energy consumption. Today, the program consists of projects which primarily focus on Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system improvement, water conservation, and lighting fixture upgrades.
The Phase 3 retrofit, which consists of a variety of conservation projects, was recently completed, and is expected to generate savings that will cover its costs in about 6 years. Projects from this phase include:
Energy Recovery Ventilation Systems
Heat recovery ventilators were installed on the rooftop air conditioning units (RTUs). These ventilators recover energy from the exhaust air streams, and allow the hospital to benefit from energy that otherwise would have been released as hot exhaust air.
Boiler Room Ventilation
A variable speed drive (VSD) was installed on the boiler room ventilation fan. This VSD is able to regulate fan operation on the basis of zone pressure, and as such, the fan now operates at a reduced average speed of 50%, resulting in energy savings.
Lighting Upgrades
A retrofit of lower wattage lamp and electronic ballasts have provided a 16% reduction in power consumption compared to previous lighting systems, while maintaining appropriate light levels.
Toilet Replacement
Older toilets were replaced with newer, more efficient models. The result is a 50%-75% reduction in associated water use. The old toilets were donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Table 1 highlights the Costs and Savings of the Phase 3 Retrofit.
|
|
|
Annual Savings |
|
|
Measure |
Cost |
Fuel |
Electrical |
Water |
Other |
Total |
Simple Payback |
|
|
($) |
(m3) |
(kWh) |
(m3) |
($) |
($) |
(years) |
|
HVAC Systems |
510,262 |
139,670 |
401,476 |
|
|
95,970 |
5.3 |
|
Water Conservation |
322,284 |
|
|
32,790 |
|
58,085 |
5.5 |
|
Lighting Upgrades |
382,888 |
|
424,558 |
|
3,511 |
38,261 |
10.0 |
|
Total |
1,215,434 |
139,670 |
826,034 |
32,790 |
3,511 |
192,316 |
6.3 |
Table 1. Cost and Savings of Phase 3 Retrofit
Implementation of the program was not without its difficulties. Among the most significant challenges were working in a fully occupied hospital and Long Term Care Facilities, developing a project scope which made both financial and environmental sense, and arranging for access to all areas of the centre and LTCC.
President and CEO Anne-Marie Malek attributes the commitment of those involved as a contributing factor to success. “This ambitious program has required substantial investment, resources and support, but the benefits are truly great. The results demonstrate West Park’s leadership in environmental stewardship, and the commitment of staff and community partners, all of whom have worked hard to make our initiatives a success.”
For more information on West Park Health Centre’s conservation projects, contact: Michael Bonnah, Director, Operations and Logistics West Park Healthcare Centre at 416-243-3600 ext. 2026.
To be featured in a future issue of Going Green, submit your organization’s environmental success story or case study to Green@oha.com.
2011 Green Health Care Awards
Submissions for 2011 Green Health Care Awards are due by September 16. The Green Health Care Awards recognize leadership and excellence in reducing health care’s environmental impact. Nomination and award details can be found here.