Hospital wins global award for energy reduction

Hollywood Private Hospital has earned international recognition for its efforts in reducing energy consumption.

It received a Global Healthcare Energy Award at the 2022 International Federation of Healthcare Engineering conference in Toronto, Canada.

The Perth hospital reduced its energy use per square metre by 18 per cent in 2021 – the most by any healthcare facility in Australia.

Engineering Manager, Rohit Jethro,saidWestern Australia's largest private hospital achieved that result – the equivalent of more than 380 homes' annual energy consumption – by introducingenergy-efficientequipmentand machinery controls,which responded to demand more effectively.

"Wehavealsoinstalledenergy-efficientlights, lighting controls and optimisedtheuse of air conditioning in non-essential areas, amongst otherthings," he said.

Mr Jethro said another key factor wasthewell-plannedintegration ofnew buildings at the Nedlands campus.

"Whilethe new buildings have been designed with energy-efficient features,it wasthe interconnection of building servicesfor the optimal utilisation ofexcess capacities on either sidethat has madethedifference," he added.

"As a result, we have been able to limit theamountof equipment in use simultaneously onthis largesite."

Director of Corporate Services, Julianne Allan,saidtheengineering department had worked hard to help the hospital meet its sustainability requirements under the remit of operator Ramsay Health Care Australia.

"Significant progress has been made in reducing carbon emissions through decreased electricityand gasconsumption,"Ms Allan said.

Ramsay Health Care has committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse emissions by 2040 for its global operations, including more than 70 facilities across Australia.

Many have introduced solar-panel energy systems and more efficient lighting, as well as reducing landfill waste by eliminating single-use plastics and recycling a range of medical products.

Brisbane's North West Private Hospital has recently joined a pilot program in which it replaces large quantities of sterile wrap for surgical instruments with reusable rigid containers.

In return for buying the containers from B Braun, the medical supplier plants trees in the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor – around 450 so far – as part of its own sustainability program and the area's reforestation project.

North West Private Hospital is one of four Ramsay facilities in the pilot scheme, along with Melbourne's Frances Perry Private Hospital, Tamworth's Tamara Private Hospital, and Armidale Private Hospital in New South Wales' Northern Tablelands.

The concept was first introduced at Ramsay's Sunshine Coast 'hub and spoke' group, where instruments are sterilised at Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital and then distributed to Noosa, Nambour Selangor and Caboolture Private Hospitals in rigid containers.

Ramsay Australia's National Environment Manager, Sue Panuccio,said the initiative was "a significant step forward" in the group's sustainability efforts.

"Along with the obvious benefits for the planet, we are also seeing financialbenefitsthrough making the switch to reusable rigid containers," she said.

"Once the four pilot sites are up and running there will be a review of the performance and, based on that, we hope to expand across more sites."

Read more: Ramsay joins the race to meet 'Net Zero'

Read more: How theatre plastics can help your garden

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