6 minute read
Kick into Conservation Mode
from CHF Winter 2021
by MediaEdge
KICK INTO
CONSERVATION MODE
Markham Stouffville Hospital’s water efficiency strategy reduces consumption, costs
By Allan Kelly
Considered one of the leading community healthcare facilities in Ontario, Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) has implemented a number of initiatives in recent times to reduce its environmental footprint. One of them involved partnering with Markham District Energy (MDE) to use energy and water more efficiently, as part of York Region’s Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) Capacity Buyback Incentive program. Through the program, the regional municipality offers a water audit at no cost to high water users. The purpose of the program is to identify long-term water-saving opportunities.
In 2017, a representative from York Region conducted a water audit at the 329bed hospital, to determine the water-consuming processes in the facility: MDE, domestic usage and open loop cooling system (walk-in freezer and fridge compressors, autoclaves and air conditioners). The results were summarized in a report and included the process water balance, water-saving opportunities that required plumbing work and sufficient process load, estimated investment required, gross savings, payback period and eligible incentive amount from York Region, based on installed eligible benefits.
The water balance was prepared based on water meter readings, direct flow measurements using an ultrasonic flow meter, observation and information provided by MSH. The three largest water-consuming processes identified in the facility during the pre-audit were MDE (37.3 per cent), domestic (13.6 per cent), and water-cooled fridge and freezer compressors (12.5 per cent).
Subsequently, MSH retained its own consultant to conduct a feasibility study of the
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Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society Société canadienne d'ingénierie des services de santé
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS
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Purpose: The award shall be presented to a resident of Canada as a mark of recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of healthcare engineering.
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To nominate: Please use the nomination form posted on the CHES website and refer to the terms of reference.
Purpose: To recognize hospitals or long-term care facilities that have demonstrated outstanding success in completion of a major capital project, energy efficiency program, environmental stewardship program or team building exercise.
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13,000 12,000 11,000 Water consumption: Selected period vs. Normalized baseline
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Water consumption, m3
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0 Jan 2019Feb 2019Mar 2019Apr 2019May 2019Jun 2019Jul 2019Aug 2019Sep 2019Oct 2019Nov 2019Dec 2019Jan 2020Feb 2020Mar 2020Apr 2020May 2020Jun 2020Jul 2020Aug 2020Sep 2020
existing chilled water system (MDE cooling loop) serving building A, and to identify the year-round cooling requirements. The scope of the study was to review the existing chilled water system connected to these process loads and to optimize energy usage when the system is running in the non-cooling season.
The study also identified equipment that was using domestic water for once-through process cooling. This included compressors in the elevator machine and mechanical rooms, five fridge/freezer compressors that serve the kitchen and biomedical waste fridge compressor located at the loading dock. All equipment was cooled by once-through water that drained directly into the sanitary sewer system. Those in the elevator machine and mechanical rooms were estimated to use 11,673 cubic metres (m3) of water per year. The compressors that serve the kitchen and the biomedical waste fridge compressor were estimated to use 18,805 m3 and 468 m3 of water per year, respectively.
Through the feasibility study, it was recommended that MSH decouple the process cooling loads from the main chilled water system to reduce energy usage, resulting in two chilled water loops. The primary chilled water loop serves the air handling unit (AHU) cooling coils and fan coil units, running only during the summer season. The secondary chilled water loop serves the 24-7 cooling loads throughout the facility and runs fulltime all year long. This chilled water loop is tied into the MDE heat exchangers for chilled water supply and return.
MSH disconnected the municipal water inlet pipe and connected the three air conditioners, five fridge compressors and one biohazardous fridge compressor to the MDE cooling loop. With the new connections, the cooling water is recirculated and no municipal water is being used for cooling the compressors. Now, the three largest water-consuming processes (identified in the facility during the post-audit) are MDE (46.7 per cent), domestic (17 per cent) and autoclaves (9.6 per cent). No water has been required for the water-cooled fridge and freezer compressors and AHUs.
MSH implemented all water-saving measures identified in the water audit and feasibility study over a two-year period, completing in February 2019. By disconnecting the potable water use equipment from the domestic cold water supply and connecting them to the MDE cooling loop, MSH has reduced its total water consumption by more than 20 per cent. This amounts to a reduction in water consumption of 30,946 m3 annually, which equates to a direct savings of $138,267. The hospital has enjoyed additional savings of more than $38,000 annually, from a reduction in related electricity costs.
Demonstrating leadership in environmental sustainability, MSH is continuing to explore additional water conservation opportunities. Currently, there are three autoclaves and one bench autoclave that use once-through domestic water to create steam for the sterilization process. To reduce water waste, this process will be investigated to see if it can be plumbed into the 24-7 chilled water loop.
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CALL FOR GRANT SPONSORSHIP & SUBMISSIONS 2022 Young Professionals Grant
DEADLINE: May 23, 2022
CHES is seeking both sponsors and candidates for the 2022 Young Professionals Grant (YPG). The application forms for sponsors and candidates are available on the CHES website.
Call for Sponsors:
• The YPG sponsorship application form must be completed by the sponsoring organization/company and submitted to the CHES National Office.
• The CHES National Office will invoice the sponsoring organization/company for $2,000 once candidate applications have been received and approved.
Call for Candidates:
• Young professionals who are or will become architects, engineers (i.e. mechanical, electrical, power and civil), technicians or similar technical disciplines are eligible.
• Eligible candidates are those working within a healthcare organization or a company supplying goods or services to healthcare facilities or organizations.
• Eligible candidates must be working in the healthcare field for less than 5 years.
• The YPG application form must be completed by the eligible candidate and submitted to the CHES
National Office. In this form, the eligible candidate will be required to provide information on their recent employment and future career aspirations.
• Confirmed candidates will receive complimentary registration for the 2022 CHES National Conference and complimentary membership for the remainder of the 2022-2023 membership year.
For nomination forms, terms of reference, criteria and past winners www.ches.org/About CHES/Awards
Send nominations to: CHES National Office info@ches.org Fax: 613-531-0626
