MidCentral District Health Board secures Energy Management Funding

15/10/2009 | MDHB gets Energy Management Funding

MidCentral District Health Board has successfully secured funding of $198,500 for energy management projects, from which it expects to make savings of almost $52,000 a year, and which equates to a reduction of 247 tonnes of CO2 a year.

The funding is made up of a $171,000 interest free loan through the Crown Loans Scheme, and a $27,500 grant from the Electricity Commission.

The funding forms part of the ongoing energy management activities around MidCentral District Health Board.

The projects include the upgrading of air conditioning control systems in Block A, Theatre, and the Women’s Health Block; the airflow and draught control through Palmerston North Hospital corridors, and a monitoring and targeting system.

The airflow and draught control is the first part of an ongoing programme to minimise the “rogue” airflow in the corridors and stairwells which creates cold areas through the hospital in westerly and easterly winds. This airflow causes discomfort to both staff and patients in a number of locations around the hospital and equates to a significant energy loss.

The monitoring and targeting system is a unique process that involves monitoring energy flows and targets and weather influences. It is designed to ensure buildings are operating at the best possible performance and identifies issues that require correction much earlier than currently possible, resulting in minimising energy waste.

The system has been proven to be very successful in reducing consumption and cost but has not been widely adopted in either health or the commercial and industrial sector.

The adoption of this system will mean MidCentral District Health Board will be one of the few organisations taking a leadership role in the implementation of this method of managing energy resources in New Zealand.