Energy Efficiency in Hospitals –towards Sustainable Healthcare

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Abstract

Energy efficiency plays a crucial role in the healthcare sector, particularly in hospitals, where the demand for energy-intensive operations is high. This essay explores the significance of energy efficiency in hospitals and its impact on sustainable healthcare. It examines the challenges faced by hospitals in achieving energy efficiency, the potential benefits, and the strategies and technologies that can be employed to improve energy efficiency. Furthermore, the essay highlights the role of stakeholders, policymakers, and healthcare professionals in promoting energy efficiency practices to ensure a greener and more sustainable future for hospitals.

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Most cited references 20

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IoT Considerations, Requirements, and Architectures for Smart Buildings – Energy Optimization and Next Generation Building Management Systems

Benedict Occhiogrosso, Daniel Minoli, Kazem Sohraby (2017)

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Effects of indoor environmental parameters related to building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems on patients' medical outcomes: A review of scientific research on hospital buildings

Amreen Shajahan, Charles Culp, Brandon Williamson (2019)

Abstract The indoor environment of a mechanically ventilated hospital building controls infection rates as well as influences patients’ healing processes and overall medical outcomes. This review covers the scientific research that has assessed patients’ medical outcomes concerning at least one indoor environmental parameter related to building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, such as indoor air temperature, relative humidity, and indoor air ventilation parameters. Research related to the naturally ventilated hospital buildings was outside the scope of this review article. After 1998, a total of 899 papers were identified that fit the inclusion criteria of this study. Of these, 176 papers have been included in this review to understand the relationship between the health outcomes of a patient and the indoor environment of a mechanically ventilated hospital building. The purpose of this literature review was to summarize how indoor environmental parameters related to mechanical ventilation systems of a hospital building are impacting patients. This review suggests that there is a need for future interdisciplinary collaborative research to quantify the optimum range for HVAC parameters considering airborne exposures and patients’ positive medical outcomes.

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Energy Consumption Analysis and Characterization of Healthcare Facilities in the United States

Khaled Bawaneh, Farnaz Ghazi Nezami, Md. Rasheduzzaman … (2019)

Healthcare facilities in the United States account for 4.8% of the total area in the commercial sector and are responsible for 10.3% of total energy consumption in this sector. The number of healthcare facilities increased by 22% since 2003, leading to a 21% rise in energy consumption and an 8% reduction in energy intensity per unit of area (544.8 kWh/m2). This study provides an analytical overview of the end-use energy consumption data in healthcare systems for hospitals in the United States. The energy intensity of the U.S. hospitals ranges from 640.7 kWh/m2 in Zone 5 (very hot) to 781.1 kWh/m2 in Zone 1 (very cold), with an average of 738.5 kWh/m2. This is approximately 2.6 times higher than that of other commercial buildings. High energy intensity in the healthcare facilities, particularly in hospitals, along with energy costs and associated environmental concerns make energy analysis crucial for this type of facility. The proposed analysis shows that U.S. healthcare facilities have higher energy intensity than those of most other countries, especially the European ones. This necessitates the adoption of more energy-efficient approaches to the infrastructure and the management of healthcare facilities in the United States.