The objective of this work is to investigate the possibility of installing renewable
energy technologies within a typical hospital environment and demonstrate a method
whereby the hospital energy demand can be reduced. The study looks at the current
practice of renewable energy integration in hospitals with particular focus on the UK
Health Sector. A review of the framework set out by building regulations, British and
European standards and other environmental regulation was undertaken. These were
the guidelines of the methodology used in this study.
The thesis presents a case study on Annan hospital which is under NHS Dumfries and
Galloway Trust. The literature review covers the energy sources and usage, saving
potential and energy efficiency awareness in a hospital. It looks at the energy
efficiency strategies, taking into account the systems used to run a typical hospital
building. The building envelope and building services were considered with respect to
energy efficiency. As part of the methodology used in this study, an energy
management matrix was produced, followed by a simple energy audit to assess the
overall building energy performance and management status. The study focuses on
the energy demand reduction measures that should be applied in any hospital building
before looking at ways to offset the remaining energy demand.
Different options of renewable energy technologies such as wind turbine, solar
photovoltaic, biomass and ground source heat pump (GSHP) that can be applied in the
case study were analysed using energy model software called RETScreen. This study
recommends the use of ground source heat pumps as an alternative energy supply for
heating and domestic hot water in Annan hospital due to its noiseless and noncombustion
operation, less transportation involved and availability of land area. And
from an economic viewpoint, it has a positive Net Present Value.