Glan Hafren Hospitals NHS Trust
The hospital management wanted a comprehensive solution for the modernization of the estate's infrastructure which would address a broad range of problems, without the need for capital investment or increased operating costs: a tall order indeed.
At the top of the shopping list were "energy efficiency"; increased "chilling capacity" for clinical theatres; an "improved interior climate" for patients and staff; a "reduction in greenhouse gas emissions"; and "value for money". The Trust has achieved these objectives, and more, by entering into a ground breaking 25 year Energy Savings Performance Contract under the Government's PFI programme.
Cynergin Consultants personnel were responsible for the technical design and financial modelling of the project, with Honeywell Control Systems Limited as the main contractor.
The Trust has recently been awarded the NHS Best Practice Award for Energy Efficiency largely founded on this project and the other Cynergin-developed project at the Royal Gwent hospital.
Technical Solution
1. Supply Side
| Item | Rationale | Contractor or Sub-contractor |
| a. 9 x 100 kWe CHP gas-fired turbines (6 units on-line) | Cogeneration of electricity and LTHW. | Allied Signal |
| b. 2 x clean-steam generators for CSSD steam requirements | Hospital sterilisation requirements | Fulton |
| c. 2 x Reverse Osmosis plants to filter steam generator water | Ensures purity of steam | JSA |
| d. Stainless steel steam pipes to CSSD & Pathology | Ensures purity of steam | JSA |
| e. Humidification system for surgical theatres | Fed by pure-steam system | Honeywell |
| f. 1 x 1250kVA stand-by generator | Additional capacity to meet HTM standards | Hallmark |
| g. New electrical mains distribution panel | To accommodate CHP's and stand-by generators | Honeywell |
| h. New kitchen equipment (cookers; boilers; dishwashers) | To support site-wide de-steaming programme | Honeywell |
2. Demand Side
| Item | Rationale | Contractor or Sub-contractor |
| a. Comprehensive New BMS and controls throughout hospital | Replacing existing obsolete system with modern XPS system. | Honeywell |
| b. Complete lighting retro-fit including VDUs and bed-heads | T8 & high frequency combos. replacing T12 & T8 ballasts throughout. | Ecolite |
| c. Electrical inverters on pumps and refrigeration units | Soft-start motor controls to save electricity | Honeywell |
The key component to this holistic solution was the unique deployment of a bank of micro-turbine CHP's. Running the appropriate number of turbines as required, enabled modulation of output to match electrical and heat demand. Not having to "turn-down" any of the turbines avoids the loss of efficiency associated with lower alternator speeds.
Additional coolth demand was accommodated by the inclusion of absorption chilling, which had the added benefit of permitting longer CHP running hours in the summer, when space heating is not required, without the inefficiency of dumping of excess heat.
The electricity savings enabled by the CHP; HF lighting; controls; and inverters subsidised investment in de-steaming; up-grading AHU's; and a variety of strategically important initiatives which on their own had little or no financial return.
Energy and operational savings, amounting to more than £13 million, are guaranteed for the full term of the contract, which includes comprehensive maintenance and all parts and labour as necessary.
A hospital spokesperson said, "We are absolutely delighted. Our contract achieves all our main objectives: guaranteeing the savings was crucial for us, and so was value for money. We have been able to renew vital infrastructure, without which the hospital cannot function, and the entire project will be self-financing. The innovation which Honeywell and its partners have brought to this project has provided us with leading-edge technology. Had we embarked on this project alone, the money spent would not be available for planned improvements to our front-line medical services, and there would be no guarantee of the results, nor the financial returns. This way we have a partner we can rely on for the next 25 years."