A new White Paper from Spirax Sarco shows how hospitals and healthcare institutions can improve the energy efficiency of their steam systems, reduce risk and cut emissions in order to help meet NHS targets.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) aims to reduce its CO2e emissions by 80% by 2050. Substantial reductions have already been made, yet a 28% reduction is still required to align with the Climate Change Act target of a 34% reduction by 2020.
Using steam to provide hot water for space heating and domestic duties such as hand washing and cleaning, as well as for sterilisation, is a significant contributor to the overall energy bill in the UK healthcare sector. Yet there is huge potential to save thousands of tonnes of emissions per year through the application of existing and innovative steam system technologies. The investments needed are relatively low and even small-scale projects can reap surprisingly high returns.
The White Paper outlines the options available and gives examples of the potential savings that can be achieved. Examples include replacing conventional hot water calorifiers with the latest compact steam-to-hot-water on demand systems, and improving systems to maximise the return of condensate to the boiler feedtank.
It also includes several case studies which reveal the energy and cost savings hospitals around the UK have achieved by investing in new technologies. For example:
Medway Maritime Hospital has shaved 2 to 3% off its main boiler house energy bill with the installation of an automated system for boiler blowdown
Eastbourne District General Hospital’s new Endoscopy Unit has met NHS emissions guidelines by using a packaged steam-to-hot-water solution to supply hot water for space heating and hand washing
Noble’s Hospital laundry is saving more than £14,500 a year in energy, water and treatment chemicals, following the installation of a system to capture energy in condensate and flash steam to preheat boiler feedwater
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