Hospital saves energy using optimisation technology

The first Australian installation of the Siemens Demand Flow energy optimisation system at Robina Hospital in Queensland is already exceeding targets and on track to save enough electricity in its first 12 months to run the MCG light towers for a year.

The system uses a variable pressure curve technology that optimises chiller plant control systems to reduce total plant energy consumption by 20–50%. Four months after installation, the system saw an average 24% reduction in energy consumption at the chiller plant at the Gold Coast hospital.

This has resulted in the hospital reducing energy consumption by 367,154 kilowatt hours (kWh) in four months, more than 65% ahead of the set target for the period of 221,314 kWh. Robina Hospital has verified the first month’s savings as a 7.04% reduction in total consumption for the hospital.

Siemens’ executive general manager building technologies, Stefan Schwab, said the excellent outcomes meant the Siemens Demand Flow technology was delivering results ahead of its targeted savings.

“We are well on track to achieve the annual target of reducing energy usage by 792,091 kWh, and the resultant $95,051 cost saving,” he said.

“Given that we have already achieved 367,154 (46.35%) of the annual guarantee figure of 792,091 kWh in just four months, we are confident of hitting the guaranteed payback period of 3.3 years in an even shorter period.”

Gold Coast Health senior director operational support services, Nigel Hoy, said the health service was delighted by the initial savings delivered by the Siemens Demand Flow.

“We were looking for ways to reduce the hospital’s energy consumption and were impressed by the results Demand Flow had achieved in hospitals around the world,” he said.

“In addition to significant energy savings, the work Siemens carried out at Robina provided the opportunity for us to consolidate chilled water infrastructure from three separate chilled water plants into one. This has resulted in a reduction to the ongoing maintenance requirements and costs for the facility.”