Introduction

Research on energy consumption in the Ligurian hospital sector, was carried out by the Regional Agency for Energy – ARE Liguria S.p.A – demonstrated that the energy consumption within the Ligurian hospitals are considerably higher (20%) than the national and European average.

Objectives and target audience

What was the project trying to achieve? Who was the project targeted at (if applicable)?
The main aim of the project is to optimise the energy system of the Ligurian hospital sector in order to reduce: Energy consumption; Pollution and CO2 emissions; Energy costs.

The project has the purpose to achieve these goals with an integrated way that deals with technical, economic and management aspects in the same time.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

The total cost of the project was 557.000 euro which was financed entirely by the Liguria Region demonstration.  The Regional Administration of Liguria Region are the partner of this project.

Process

The study is divided into three main phases, which include the drawing up of the guidelines for energy efficiency in the hospital sector, a pilot action in a Ligurian ASL (local health enterprise) and the operative plan for the creation of a pilot ESCO and consortia for electrical energy purchase.

The guidelines analyse the building aspects (thermal insulation of building shell, thermal bridges, insulation, natural lighting) and plant aspects (thermal plant, conditioning system, cogeneration plant) that must be considered for the planning interventions on hospital structures.

The second phase, relative to the pilot action in two hospitals of the ASL 4, is centred on an energy audit of the buildings and the plants of the two structures.  This tool has been used to analyse the critical issues at plant and building level in such a way, as a need to propose a wide range of improvement interventions.

The third phase, the operative plan, is of a purely management nature, based on the rationalisation of energy management within the structures.  It includes, on the basis of the results obtained in the second phase, an analysis of the necessary premises for the setting up of an ESCO, and the foundation of a consortium for the supply of electrical energy in the liberalised market.

Energy plant – proposed interventions: The use of highly efficient (condensing) boilers; the of CHP systems (prime mover = micro turbines, or gas engines); Local temperature sensing/control loops.

Windows and framing – proposed interventions: The replacement of simple glazing with up-to-date thermally insulated double glazing; Framing replacement (thermally insulated); the use of window shading panels in summer; the replacement of poorly insulated aluminium panels under and between windows.

Building shell insulation – proposed interventions: the insulation of roof; the insulation of horizontal and vertical walls.

Results

The potential for energy saving obtainable from the correct and systematic application of the guidelines can reach and even pass 15%, therefore bringing a cost saving of over 3.4 million euro.

Recently A.R.E. has set up the Ligurian Energy Consortium, which consists of public body members (Regione Liguria, ASL 3 and 4) and a number of hospitals, reaching more than up to more than 25 GWh.  The energy saving during the last three months of 2002 equated to just above 50,000€ while the 2003 envisaged saving was approximately 200,000 €.  During the following months the consortium will be extended to a provincial and regional level, with an electricity bill saving of approximately 10%.

The implementation of the proposed interventions in the ASL 4 will lead to a reduction in energy consumption of approximately 4,638 MWh/year.  Energy produced by renewables in ASL 4 is produced from solar thermal (100 sqm.), (56 MWh/year), and from photovoltaic system (20 kW: 78 MW/year).  The reduction in CO2 emissions equates to 1.300 tons/year.

A sum of 171.220 €/year was saved.  This allowed for an increase in personnel at A.R.E. Liguria.  The correct application of the guidelines and the launch of the ESCO in the ASL 4 will also lead into the development of possible work placements (approx 10).

A.R.E. made the Regional Administration and hospital managements aware of the critical situation within the health sector.  This involved two council departments of the same administration: Health and Environment.  This appeared to be a very important achievement.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

An innovative approach was created which its main characteristics are to face technical, economic and management aspects together and to consider at the same time different fields of application.  The main problems encountered were the collection and the use of data, plants complexity and the low level of liberalisation of the gas market.

The project was created with the intention of extending the new methodology to other hospitals.  For this reason it is easy to adopt the approach individuated in “Innovative systems for energy efficiency in the Liguria hospital sector” in other similar structures in Italy, in Europe and in third countries.  Another possibility foreseen in the project consists in the dissemination of this methodology and in other sectors (residential, public building, tourism, etc).