Economic and Environmental Impact of Energy Saving in Healthcare Buildings
Source abstract
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to estimate the economic and environmental impacts of energy consumption derived from healthcare buildings and proposes several energy-saving options in the sector. An experimental energy consumption study was development between 2005 and 2013 in 12 hospitals and 70 healthcare centres in Spain, built between 1980 and 2005 through audits carried out between 2005 and 2012, performed by the Extremadura Energy Agency. The study focused on electric energy, HVAC, DWH, lighting systems, renewable energies, maintenance strategy, thermal insulation, and optimal building size. Specifically, the following parameters were evaluated: energy savings, investment emission of CO2, NO2, and SO2 gases, and payback. The results revealed that through an appropriate energy management of healthcare buildings it is possible to save up to 8.60 kWh/m2 per year, for buildings of less than 5000 m2 (with no beds), which represents an expense of 1.55 €/m2. In healthcare buildings larger than 5000 m2 (with beds), it was possible to save up to 6.88 kWh/m2 per year, which represents an expense of 1.25 €/m2.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Building Energy and Comfort Optimization · Sustainable Building Design and Assessment · Facilities and Workplace Management
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
School of Industrial Engineering, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
USQ International, University of Southern Queensland Toowoomba, Darling Heights, QLD 4350, Australia
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