The challenge
The Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) covers an area of 11,335 square kilometres from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, providing a diverse range of services to a population of about 215,000 people. MNCLHD is a government funded health organisation that provides quality health care 11 facilities in the region.
The client’s objectives to optimize energy performance within health precincts, which is challenging due to both the complex and sensitive nature of operations, combined with extensive, energy intensive requirements.
Veolia's Solution
Following a successful Detailed Facility Study (DFS) project, which commenced in April 2016 and was completed by December 2016, Veolia was selected to deliver energy and water efficiency for MNCLHD.
In line with the NSW government’s new Energy Efficiency Action Plan initiative, this EPC contract is projected to deliver both short- and long-term benefits to MNCLHD, to be further optimised in line with quantitative Measurement and Verification (M&V) guarantees related to financial and operational savings.
As with all large facilities, an energy-based upgrade has a firm base in LED Lighting Upgrades and Solar Photo-Voltaic production. The challenges facing hospitals is more than this, with HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) presenting a significant cost for both utility expenditure, operational (maintenance) expenditure, and overall environmental impact. The preparation of this Energy Performance Upgrade focused not only on Energy Conservation Measures, but also Sustainable Engineering Design, principally in large-scale HVAC and Mechanical Upgrades not normally viable in a traditional Asset Management paradigm.
Delivering innovation
A traditional approach to asset management rarely allows for an upgrade of technology, instead opting for a “like-for-like”, replacement on failure approach. This EPC framework has allowed for Sustainable
Engineering Design to be implemented at a ‘whole-site’ scale, resulting in an innovative utilisation of new technology and holistic analysis combined with proven engineering concepts.
In May 2018, a concrete slab for the Chiller plant area was poured in preparation for the four new Trane Chillers to be installed in June. 125 Tonnes of concrete was poured and 5 Tonnes of steel placed in the slab to support the equipment.
Benefits to our client
This Energy Performance Project encompasses Solar Photovoltaic at all viable sites within the Local Health District, with systems as small as 5 kWp on even the smallest Community Health Centres. This distributed solar, in conjunction with wholesale upgrades of lighting, has provided the Local Health District the unique opportunity for additional overarching HVAC re-engineering and rationalisation.
The HVAC Engineered Solution encompasses the removal of significant amount of inefficient refrigeration compressors, and the centralisation of cooling and heating production – resulting in a more efficient, robust, and future-proof cooling and heating system throughout the hospital.