The intersection of energy, healthcare and climate

Abstract

The reduction of energy use in hospitals as energy intensive units is critical to the overall goals of lowering the cost of healthcare and emissions from those facilities. Hence, the assessment and identification of key end-use demand factors impacting energy consumption is essential. In this paper, end-use demand factors not previously examined are investigated. Instead of the usual engineering analysis and energy audits, the work presented here examines demand in terms of changing outdoor temperatures and levels of hospital activity measured by inpatient and outpatient census. An energy analysis of two major hospitals in Wichita, Kansas, using their monthly energy bills is presented. New insights into the major drivers of energy consumed within a hospital setting are reported. Those insights are used to assess heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) energy-efficiency improvements through monthly hospital energy bills.