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Energy Management Opportunities for Georgetown Hospital

A Customer Service of Halton Hills Hydro Inc.

Georgetown Hospital Energy Management Opportunities Page 1

Contents Summary ............................................................................................................................. 1

Background ......................................................................................................................... 3 Site Conditions .................................................................................................................... 4 Electricity Analysis ............................................................................................................. 7 Natural Gas Analysis ........................................................................................................ 14 Comparison with Similar Facilities .................................................................................. 16

Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 19 1. Lighting ..................................................................................................................... 19

2. HVAC - Electrical ..................................................................................................... 20 3. Natural Gas Solutions ................................................................................................ 23 4. Other Measures for Consideration ............................................................................. 25 Impact on Energy Intensity ............................................................................................... 26

Next Steps ......................................................................................................................... 27 Appendix – Electric Equipment Inventory ....................................................................... 29


Summary A site assessment was undertaken by Aladaco Consulting Inc. on behalf of Halton Hills

Hydro at the Georgetown Hospital for Halton Healthcare Services. Halton Hills Hydro

Inc. (HHH) undertakes these assessments to promote energy efficiency and help its

customers identify opportunities for cost and energy savings. Certain recommended

retrofits will qualify for incentive programs which are designed to provide customers

with supporting funding to implement energy efficiency improvements.

A detailed energy analysis was conducted on both electricity and natural gas

consumption. Highlights of the energy analysis include:

There is a very high correlation between weather and electricity consumption and

demand

Strong evidence that mechanical cooling is being used at relatively low outdoor

temperatures when ‘free-cooling’ is available

High natural gas baseload consumption likely due to extensive reheat and system

standing losses

When compared to comparable facilities, Georgetown Hospital consumes more energy

than the average or median facility of its size. We have suggested the hospital set a goal

of achieving energy intensity that is 25% lower than the median of the 2006 OHA Energy

Benchmarking study. This would require a reduction of approximately 35% of current

energy consumption.

Based on our analysis and on-site assessment, we have recommended improvements to

several hospital systems to lower electricity and natural gas consumption. These

recommendations also provide for extensive renewal of very old mechanical and

electrical infrastructure that will minimize future capital investment. The financial results

of these recommendations are summarized below.

Recommendation Estimated Cost Incentives Annual

Savings

Simple

Payback

Lighting $140,000 $25,000 $35,000 3.3 years

HVAC –

Electrical

$900,000 $150,000 $68,000 11 years

Natural Gas $500,000 $40,000 $57,000 7.7 years

Totals $1,540,000 $215,000 $160,000 8.3 years


The recommendations of this report are, by definition, preliminary and further

investigation will be required. We also discuss further steps that can be taken to validate

the potential of these opportunities and funding that is available to assist with this effort.

Finally, we also briefly touch on some alternative approaches to implementing energy

efficiency improvements. It is valuable to consider these options early in the planning of

your energy efficiency program to minimize delays and create a clear plan for funding

and execution.


Background The objective of this Energy Assessment is to develop a high-level review of electricity

use at the Georgetown Hospital and identify areas for efficiency improvement. This

assessment is provided free of charge to Halton Healthcare Services for this facility by

Halton Hills Hydro as part of their mandate to produce significant electrical demand and

consumption reductions in their service territory. The Energy Assessment was prepared

by Aladaco Consulting Inc. on behalf of Halton Hills Hydro.

This report will provide guidance and prioritization for further, more detailed audits or

studies into specific systems with high conservation potential. These subsequent

investigations should enable capital investment with high confidence in the efficiency

and financial outcomes. Halton Hills Hydro will continue to support Halton Healthcare

Services throughout this process to ensure they can achieve their full efficiency potential

and maximize financial resources (incentives) available for these projects.

Because of the interactive nature of some electrical and natural gas-fueled systems, a

brief assessment of natural gas consumption and systems is also included.

Representatives from Union Gas were involved in this assessment and will also support

Halton Healthcare Services in their pursuit of natural gas efficiency improvements

through incentives.


Site Conditions The Georgetown Hospital complex consists of two (2) distinct facilities with differing

operations. The Hospital is an acute-care community hospital with 33 beds. This facility

is connected to the Bennett Center, a long-term/complex care facility with 25 beds. The

two facilities are connected by an enclosed walkway known as the “Tunnel”.

Hospital

The hospital was first constructed in 1961and expanded in 1972 with a 9,000 square foot

addition. The Hospital as it stands now is a single story building encompassing 56,700

square feet.

HVAC Systems

When the Hospital was originally built, there was no air conditioning or central

ventilation system. A pair of 200 HP steam boilers provided space heating,

domestic hot water and some process steam with 100% redundancy. Space

heating is provided through perimeter hot water radiation with no local

temperature control. A reset controller adjusts the temperature of the perimeter

radiation in response to outdoor temperature – as the outdoor temperature drops,

the loop temperature increases.

The expansion in 1972 added a multi-zone air-handling unit and central chiller to

provide partial cooling and ventilation to the facility.

A major retrofit in 1993 expanded air conditioning to the remainder of the

hospital through installation of rooftop mounted air handling units with integrated

direct expansion (DX) refrigeration. The combined cooling capacity at the

hospital is now approximately 200 tons.

These rooftop mounted units use glycol heating coils with glycol provided

through a steam/glycol heat exchanger. Many of the units also have hot water

reheat coils in the downstream ductwork to provide local temperature control.

Because of limited ceiling space, much of the trunk ductwork is located outdoors

on the roof. This ductwork is insulated and sealed (believed to be 1” fiberglass

insulation sandwiched between sheet metal panels) and is inspected regularly for

deterioration.

At the time of the air conditioning retrofit, a Honeywell automation system was

installed to centralize control of the HVAC system. Refer to the Appendix for a

list of HVAC components.


Lighting

The common area and patient room general lighting systems in the hospital were

retrofitted in approximately 2000. This retrofit converted predominantly 2 lamp

T12 fluorescent fixtures with electromagnetic ballasts to 2 lamp T8 fluorescent

with electronic ballasts.

The over bed lighting was not retrofitted at the time, likely due to low operating

hours and comparatively high cost (2 ballasts at each fixture for separate up and

down lighting). These retain the T12 lamps and electromagnetic ballasts.

Some accent (pot) lights were observed to still be using incandescent lamps.

Based on a couple of sample areas, general lighting power density was estimated

to be 0.5 – 0.6 watts/ft2. This is based on an assumed load of 55 watts for the

existing fluorescent fixtures.

Bennett Center

The Bennett Center is a two story facility encompassing 75,000 square feet. It was

opened in 1985 and caters to long-term/complex care residents and related support

services. The kitchen facilities for the entire complex are located in the Bennett Center.

HVAC

There are 14 air-handling units of varying types serving the Bennett Center. Some

use chilled water provided by an 80 ton packaged chiller, while others have

integrated DX cooling. A couple of units have no cooling at all. Some units have

built in gas fired heating while others have glycol heating coils (heat provided by

steam from Hospital boiler plant). Some have no heating source at all. Total

cooling capacity at the Bennett Center is approximately 180 tons.

There are ceiling-mounted hot water radiant heating panels on the perimeter.

These are controlled by local pneumatic thermostats but are not interconnected

with the air-handling equipment. Hot water is provided by a steam/hot water

converter using steam from the Hospital boiler plant.

Most, but not all, of the HVAC equipment in the Bennett Center are controlled by

the Honeywell automation system.

Lighting

The predominant lighting source in the Bennett Center is 2 lamp T12 fluorescent

with magnetic ballasts. The only exception is the cafeteria which has been


retrofitted with electronic ballasts and T8 lamps. The accent lights in the cafeteria

were still using 150 incandescent lamps, while some of the accent lights in the

common areas were using plug-in fluorescent lamps.

Based on a few sample areas in the facility, the average lighting power density is

estimated as 1.5 - 1.6 watts/ft2. This is based on assumed load per fixture of 78

watts/fixture. The light level in most of the Bennett Center appeared to be higher

than that of the Hospital although light measurements were not taken.

Tunnel & Exterior

The tunnel is a 10,000 square foot covered pathway joining the Hospital to the Bennett

Center. In addition to providing sheltered access for staff and patients between the two

buildings, it also conveys central electrical and mechanical services.

The tunnel is heated by perimeter hot water radiation and cooled by a dedicated

rooftop unit that was installed in 2004.

Lighting is provided by linear 4’ T12 lamps in a continuous strip down the entire

length of the tunnel. Two lamps share a single magnetic ballast.

The parking lot is illuminated by three (3) tall light standards with 2 heads, each

400 watt high pressure sodium lamps and ballasts. The pathway and driveways

are illuminated by 8-10’ high standards with clear glass globe lights with 70 watt

high pressure sodium lamps and ballasts. There is a variety of high pressure

sodium, metal halide and even incandescent fixtures at various entrances and exits

of the facility.


Electricity Analysis

Load Profile

Based on past electricity consumption patterns and the observed operation of the facility,

we have been able to prepare a profile of electricity use at this facility and where it is

being used.

Figure 1 above shows monthly electricity consumption and demand as taken from the

billing data. This chart clearly shows that electricity consumption and demand rise as

outdoor temperatures climb and air conditioning is activated. It is interesting to note that

demand surges much earlier in the year than consumption (see March and April) which

suggests that infrequent demand for cooling in these shoulder months requires short term

operation of the refrigeration equipment.

Figure 1 - Electricity Billing History


If we drill down into the hourly load data, we can gain greater insight into the operation

of the facility. In Figure 2, we have charted the average hourly electrical load for each

day of the week in February. This represents typical ‘winter’ conditions where

mechanical air conditioning (refrigeration) is unlikely to be present.

Figure 2 clearly shows a constant baseload of approximately 300 kW exists at all times.

This increases rapidly starting around 7 am as the facility commences regular daily

activity. Not surprisingly, activity and electrical loads are lower on the weekends when

fewer departmental systems and staff are active. During the week, this daily ‘activity’

demand adds approximately 175 kW to the electrical load. Later in the report we

reconcile these measured results against major electrical loads in the facility to determine

what systems are responsible for each component.

In Figure 3 below, we repeat the same hourly analysis for August. While the same

general daily pattern exists, the baseline load is higher (~ 400 kW) and the daily increase

is also much larger (200-225 kW). In both cases, these are attributable to the added air

conditioning load that is present around the clock.

Figure 2 - Average Hourly Load by Day - February


It is important to point out that the monthly billing demand from Figure 1 will be higher

than the corresponding peak loads from the hourly averages in Figure 2 and 3. That is

because billing demand is based on the highest 15 minute value in each month.

Figure 3 - Hourly Average Electrical Load by Day - August


Weather Sensitivity

To accurately determine the impact of weather on electricity consumption, 12 months of

billing data was analyzed in the Metrix Utility Analysis software program. Using daily

weather data for the area, this program determines the statistical correlation between

energy consumption and outside temperatures.

Figure 4 below is a screenshot from the Metrix software system showing the very strong

correlation between electricity consumption (kWh) and Cooling Degree Days (CDD).

Figure 4 - Correlation of Electricity Consumption and Outside Temperature

There are two important pieces of information that we can learn from this analysis. The

first is that the balance temperature – the outside temperature where mechanical cooling

starts – is 8.3 degrees C (47 degrees F). This is quite low and suggests that the HVAC

system is not properly set up to use cool outside air for inside space cooling. The second

insight is that the consumption model from the software predicts that annual electricity

consumption for space cooling is 595 MWh. This is valuable because it helps us

understand the operation of this equipment.

To round out the impact of weather on electricity, we also analyzed the relationship with

electrical demand (monthly billing demand). See Figure 5 below.


Figure 5 - Correlation of Electric Demand and Outside Temperature

Again, it is apparent that these two are strongly correlated, but most interestingly the

balance point temperature for electric demand is just 6.1 degrees C (43 degrees F). This

suggests that some mechanical cooling is operated for short periods when the outside air

temperatures are still quite low. This corroborates our own on-site observation of

December 3, 2012 when mechanical cooling for the operating suite had to be activated to

achieve satisfactory space temperatures. The outside air temperature at the time was just

7.4 C according to Environment Canada data.

We believe that all of the major air-handling equipment in the facility has the inherent

ability to use cool outside air to satisfy space temperature needs when outdoor

temperatures permit (typically below 13C). It is imperative to determine why this is not

happening.


Electricity End Use Analysis

The preceding analysis of electricity consumption and weather sensitivity is helpful to

understand the operating characteristics of the facility related to schedule and weather. To

deepen the understanding of the systems and components responsible for these

characteristics, a high level inventory of major building electrical systems was prepared.

Each item was categorized according to type (Plug Load, Lighting, HVAC) and expected

operating behaviour/schedule (baseload, night-time, daytime, seasonal). Some

assumptions were made about diversity of operation (expected maximum simultaneous

operation of that type of component) and the results were reconciled against the actual

electrical demand. Figure 6 illustrates the results of the end use analysis.

When all loads are extrapolated over an entire year based on their expected hours of

operation, we can estimate annual consumption attributable to each type. The chart below

shows the relative proportion of each of the type of loads used in the previous analysis

when viewed on an annual basis.

Figure 6 - Georgetown Hospital Electrical End Use Breakdown


One last observation is worth mentioning. We know from the weather sensitivity analysis

that electricity consumption attributed to cooling is 595 MWh annually. The equipment

inventory tells us that the total installed capacity of equipment is approximately 635 kW.

From these figures we can infer that the cooling equipment operates, on average, less

than 1,000 equivalent full-load hours per year. This is very low for a facility that operates

24x7 and suggests that the cooling capacity may be far larger than needed.

Figure 7 - Georgetown Hospital Annual End Use Consumption


Natural Gas Analysis

The chart below illustrates the strong winter weather influence on natural gas

consumption.

Weather Sensitivity

As with electricity, we used the Metrix Utility Analysis software to determine the

statistical relationship between natural gas use and outdoor temperature. As the

screenshot below illustrates, this relationship is quite strong.

Interestingly, the balance point temperature – the outdoor temperature below which space

heating is required – is determined to be 16.1 C. This is almost nine degrees higher than

the cooling balance point temperature suggesting a wide range when heating and cooling

are acting simultaneously.

Figure 8 - Natural Gas Consumption (04-11 to 03-12)


The baseload natural gas consumption in this facility would normally be attributed to

domestic hot water and sterilization uses. However, it is likely that this is inflated by hot

water reheat coils that temper space cooling throughout the year.

Figure 9 - Correlation of Natural Gas Consumption and Outdoor Temperature


Comparison with Similar Facilities

It is helpful to compare the energy consumption of the Georgetown Hospital with other

similar facilities. This ‘benchmark’ exercise is approximate at best since no two facilities

are physically or operationally identical.

Facilities are compared on the basis of energy intensity – units of energy per unit of

interior (conditioned) area. For the purposes of this analysis, we will normalize energy

intensity as ‘equivalent kilowatt-hours per square foot (ekWh/ft2). For Georgetown

Hospital, the energy intensities are as follows:

Electricity

Baseload 21.1 ekWh/ft2

Cooling 4.2 ekWh/ft2

Total 25.3 ekWh/ft2

Natural Gas

Baseload 21.4 ekWh/ft2

Heating 22.3 ekWh/ft2

Total 43.7 ekWh/ft2

Total energy intensity 69.0 ekWh/ft2

Finding comparable facilities or benchmarks to assess the performance of Georgetown

Hospital is further complicated by the dual nature of the site - part hospital, part long-

term/complex care facility. Each of these operations have differing energy characteristics.

Where possible, we have tried to produce benchmark indices that offer reasonable

similarity to the Georgetown Hospital.

Benchmarks we have selected for comparison include:

“Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Ontario Hospitals”, 2006, Ontario Hospital

Association

Based on voluntary survey responses from Ontario Hospitals

Data for Small Hospitals and Continuing Care/Rehab selected for comparison

US Department of Energy, Energy Star Target Finder

Based on data from the US Department of Energy Commercial Buildings

Energy Consumption Survey 2003


Data for Hospitals and Senior Care Facilities selected as closest comparable

building types

Benchmarks refined to reflect key energy consumption drivers (i.e. number of

beds, MRI machines in hospitals etc.)

Data reflects results for Western New York as closest weather proxy

Benchmarks prepared for Median, Top 25% and Top 10% targets

For each source, a comparative benchmark was produced by a weighted average, based

on square footage (60% LT/CC; 40% Small Hospital), of the two facility types. Results

are:

OHA 2006 Survey Electricity Natural

Gas Total

Small Hospital 21.58 45.34 66.92 CCC/Rehab Hospital 14.94 39.51 54.45

Weighted Average 17.83 42.05 59.88

EnergyStar Median Benchmark Hospital 27.42 25.31 52.74

Senior Care Facility 6.97 17.93 24.90


EnergyStar Top 25% Benchmark Hospital 23.77 21.94 45.71



EnergyStar Top 10% Benchmark Hospital 20.87 19.27 40.14



The chart below provides a visual comparison of these figures.


As stated earlier, this benchmarking exercise is approximate at best. The sources we have

used are among the best available, but are still imperfect and should not be used to create

firm performance targets. We believe this is especially true of the OPA electrical energy

intensity targets for Senior Care Facilities which appear unreasonably low and may

represent functionally different facilities than the Bennett Center.

Natural Resources Canada is undertaking a benchmarking program based on the

EnergyStar Portfolio Manager program but it is still in its infancy and cannot provide

useful benchmark targets.

We believe that an aggressive, but realistic goal for a comprehensive energy efficiency

program would be to beat the OHA 2006 Blended target by 25%. This would result in

energy intensity of 45 ekWh/ft2 and would require a combined energy reduction of almost

35% - aggressive, but not impossible.

Nominal Performance Goal


Recommendations

Based on the high level assessment of the facility, we have identified a number of energy

efficiency improvements that may be financially feasible and are worthy of further

investigation. For all recommendations, estimates of savings are provided to the extent

that they can be estimated with any accuracy. Because incentives are also based on

energy savings, we have provided estimates of these as well. Any retrofit cost estimates

are guidelines and should be viewed as ‘order of magnitude’ only, particularly HVAC

recommendations.

1. Lighting

Lighting recommendations focus on the primary lighting systems and do not deal with

secondary architectural or exit lights. In all situations, any incandescent lamps should be

replaced with LED or comparable high efficiency components.

Hospital

Newer T8 lamp and electronic ballast technologies can provide further savings over the

T8/ballast retrofit from 2000. It is possible to reduce electric demand at each 2 lamp

fixture by approximately 13 watts (from 55 to 42 watts). This is financially reasonable in

the common areas where lighting operates 8,760 hours/year (24x7). However, in the

patient rooms and offices where operating hours are considerably lower (estimate 2,920

hours/year) the payback is quite a bit longer.

The over bed lighting still suffers from the long payback that prevented conversion to T-

8/electronic ballasts back in 2000. The situation now is a bit better as the efficiency of

modern technology is better than it was 13 years ago so savings are higher. A more

urgent driver to pursue this retrofit is the phase out of magnetic ballasts and T-12 lamps

that has already started in Ontario. It is better to retrofit this now to ensure that you are

not in a position where you cannot get reasonably prices replacement parts. Converting to

T-8 will simplify materials management by eliminating a lamp and ballast type that needs

to be stocked.

Bennett Center

We recommend converting all existing T12 lamps and magnetic ballasts to T8 lamps and

electronic ballasts. The payback for this retrofit is excellent and will have the added

benefit of reducing the cooling load in the facility.

As we pointed out in the description of the lighting in this part of the facility, it appears to

be subjectively much brighter than the hospital. It may be possible to pursue a more


aggressive lighting retrofit that would involve de-lamping the fixtures or a wholesale

redesign of the lighting layout. Proper photometric measurement and analysis will be

required to determine if this is viable.

Like the hospital, over bed lighting is not nearly as financially attractive but should still

be undertaken to avoid problems with availability of ballasts and lamps and harmonize

lamp and ballast inventories to simplify maintenance.

Tunnel

The tunnel is an excellent candidate for conversion from T12/magnetic ballasts to

T8/electronic ballasts because of the long operating hours (8760 hrs/year).

There is also an opportunity to selectively turn lights off in the tunnel to take advantage

of the extensive natural lighting from the windows that run full length of the tunnel. It

may be possible under some circumstances to turn all of the lights off, but a more

conservative alternative would be to turn off every second fixture based on a photocell

input. This would also have the secondary benefit of reducing the cooling load in an area

that has been identified as having insufficient cooling capacity.

Exterior

It may be possible to use LED lamps or fixtures to replace the existing high pressure

sodium lamps in the parking lots, driveways/pathways and entrances/exits. Exterior

lighting applications for LED technologies are still in their infancy and would require

more in-depth examination to confirm their photometric and financial viability.

Financial Summary - Lighting

Estimated

Cost

Electricity

Savings

(kWh)

Peak

Demand

Savings

(kW)

Incentive Annual

Savings

Simple

Payback

$140,000 320,000 50 $25,000 $35,000 3.3 years

2. HVAC - Electrical

The HVAC systems throughout the facility are wide mix of technologies, ages, capacities

and control strategies. The recommendations here reflect what we were able to learn in

the limited time available for assessment and may ultimately be deemed impractical or


financial unfeasible. Based on the information available, they are worthy of further

investigation.

There are a number of issues related to the HVAC systems in the facility that have been

identified and, if addressed, should significantly improve efficiency. These issues are:

Lack of local control of perimeter radiation heating. Because this operates totally

independent of the air-handling system, there is undoubtedly simultaneous heating

and cooling occurring, especially during the shoulder months. This may be a

contributor to the premature operation of the cooling equipment. Ideally, each

perimeter zone would have a control valve that would be sequenced with the local

reheat coil (or VAV damper if that retrofit is viable).

The multi-zone air-handling units are an inefficient way to perform temperature

control because it mixes hot and cold air to satisfy space needs. The preferable

method is to vary the amount of cold air, and vary the temperature of the cold air

to ensure that minimum flow levels can be maintained.

Zone hot water reheat coils are a wasteful way to perform local temperature

control. The preferable method is to use a damper to vary the volume of air in

response to local temperature control needs. If variable air volume control is

impractical or unsuitable for the space, the hot water reheat loop temperature

should be adaptively controlled to minimize losses and prevent overheating.

The control strategy for the entire HVAC system is ‘static’ and does not

intelligently adapt to changing conditions and demand. Although there is a digital

automation system present, the control strategies that it appears to follow are

fairly simplistic and could be achieved with pneumatic controls and electric time

clocks. Upgrading the automation system and implementing intelligent controls

could dramatically improve efficiency and comfort.

The entire hospital is fully ventilated 24x7. There are many areas of the hospital,

such as staff offices and departments with daily schedules that can have the

ventilation shut off or significantly reduced during unoccupied hours.

Furthermore, in hospitals zones that remain active around the clock, outside air

volumes could be reduced at night when occupancy is considerably lighter.

Much of the refrigeration equipment (chiller and rooftop DX systems) is quite old

and inefficient compared to new equipment. It is also likely that the aggregate

cooling system is oversized and could benefit from thorough cooling load re-

calculation and ‘right-sizing’. This will be particularly evident after a lighting

retrofit which could lower cooling demand by 12-15 tons.


To address these issues, we recommend investigating the feasibility of the following

improvements:

1. Perform a detailed heating and cooling load analysis by zone for the entire

hospital. This will allow rebalancing of both water and air flows to properly

match loads. Most of the subsequent recommendations will succeed only if a

proper load calculation is performed to determine zone conditioning needs.

2. Install hot water control valves in hospital perimeter radiation loop. The number

and location of the valves will be dictated by the practical limitation of where they

can be installed and how they can be integrated into the control of the local air-

handling unit zone controls (currently reheat coils or multizone mixed

temperature).

3. Retrofit, or replace, the multizone units. If retrofitting, block off the hot deck and

re-purpose the cold deck dampers to modulate in response to zone temperatures.

Variable frequency drives will be required on the supply and return fan motors.

Also, the control strategy will need to change to allow adjustment of supply

discharge temperature so minimum zone ventilation can be maintained without

overcooling.

4. Replace existing zone hot water re-heat coils with variable air volume or constant

volume control boxes. It is acknowledged that the ceiling space in the hospital is

severely restricted so there may be practical limitations to making this

recommendation a reality. Many of these coils are served by rooftop units with

DX cooling. Because of the inherent limitation in supply airflow volume range of

DX systems, the control range of the dampers may be limited. Whether variable

or constant volume, these control boxes can be programmed to shut down, or

significantly reduce ventilation during unoccupied periods. A VFD would be

added required on the supply and, where it exists, return air fans to modulate

airflow in response to duct pressure.

5. Upgrade the entire automation system and extend control down to the local zone

level. This will allow the primary HVAC equipment (chillers, rooftop units) to

adjust output in response to changing loads rather than coasting along at constant

output. New automation technology will also make it easier to monitor operating

conditions and alert building operators when systems are out of spec.

6. Where it is suitable, install variable frequency drives on hot water and chilled

water distribution pumping systems. This would only be suitable where local

water flow control was achieved with 2-way valves.

7. Upgrade all major refrigeration components to modern, high efficiency

equipment. Where possible, convert rooftop unit cooling from DX to chilled


water or use DX technology that is suitable for Variable Air Volume operation.

This will allow superior part load efficiency and should improve comfort

conditions. If wholesale replacement of airhandling or rooftop units cannot be

justified, a full recommissioning/refurbishment of the outdoor air/return air

dampers must be completed to ensure the system is capable of using outside for

cooling when conditions permit.

Financial Summary – HVAC Electrical

Estimated

Cost

Electricity

Savings

(kWh)

Peak

Demand

Savings

(kW)

Incentive Annual

Savings

Simple

Payback

$900,000 625,000 185 $150,000 $68,000 11 years

3. Natural Gas Solutions Opportunities for natural gas conservation are provided here in very general terms for

your consideration and further investigation.

Boiler Plant Steam to Hot Water Conversion

The current boiler plant that serves the entire complex consists of 2 – 200 HP steam

boilers. It is believed these date back to the initial construction in 1961. There is evidence

that a boiler stack economizer (to extract heat from the combustion exhaust stream) was

installed at some point in the past, but it is no longer functional. Plant operators say that

they have lowered the operating pressure to 80 psi with no detrimental effects on

performance.

The heating needs of the facility never require operation of the second boiler. In fact,

based on the gas consumption history of the facility we estimate that the current steam

plant is oversized and a replacement plant could be significantly smaller. The original

system was designed to support laundry facilities that have since been removed so the

assertion that the plant is oversized is reasonable.

Because steam plants produce energy of very high content, there is potential for extensive

energy losses in the distribution and conversion stages. A quick visit to the boiler room

clearly demonstrates the enormous heat that is lost from the steam and escapes to the

surrounding space. This same heat loss occurs throughout the distribution system but is

less visible/obvious to observers because it is spread through the facility.

We believe it is worth considering the conversion of this plant from steam to hot water.

There are few loads in the hospital that require the high heat content of steam and could


be satisfied much more efficiently with hot water. Any equipment that must use steam

(i.e. autoclaves) could be served more efficiently by a small, high efficiency steam

generator. The layout of the facility, with the long tunnel connecting the Bennett Center

to the hospital, presents some challenges for a hot water system, but these can be

overcome.

Below are the highlights of a steam to hot water conversion for the facility:

Install a small high efficiency steam generator to serve the sterilizer and autoclave

loads year round.

Replace single steam-heated laundry dryer with a natural gas unit

Remove steam boilers and replace with high efficiency hot water and/or glycol

boilers properly sized to serve the space heating needs of the hospital and tunnel.

Install dedicated high efficiency domestic hot water boilers or instantaneous

natural gas water heaters to serve this load.

Convert heating coil in the multi-zone unit to glycol. This may or may not require

the replacement of the coil itself to ensure sufficient capacity. If the multi-zone

unit is replaced, a suitably sized glycol/hot water coil can be specified.

Depending on capacity, re-use or replace steam to hot water/glycol converters for

space heating

Install smaller natural gas hot water heating plant in ground floor utility room in

Bennett Center. This space currently houses the steam to glycol converter used for

many of the heating coils of rooftop units in the Bennett Center. Depending on

piping layout, this same plant could provide hot water for perimeter radiation and

the same space may be able to house domestic hot water heating equipment for

the Bennett Center.

Savings potential for natural gas should be in the range of 30-40% of historic natural gas

consumption. This is not only due to the efficiency improvements of the boiler plant, but

also savings that will accrue through many of the HVAC measures described earlier.

Financial Summary – Natural Gas

Estimated

Cost

Natural

Gas

Savings

(m3)

Incentive Annual

Savings

Simple

Payback

$500,000 210,000 $40,000 $57,000 8.0 years


4. Other Measures for Consideration Below are other opportunities for conservation or cost improvement that are worth further

investigation:

Replace 12 kW hot water booster heater for dishwasher with natural gas heater

Install variable speed drives on the kitchen hood exhaust and make up air fans and

control with temperature or occupancy sensors

Install local lighting controls in offices and other departmental areas with

intermittent occupancy

Install additional insulation and PVC covering on all external ductwork to reduce

heat loss/gain and minimize load on boilers and cooling equipment.

Summary Below, the table summarizes all of the recommended improvements described in the

preceding section.

Recommendation Estimated

Cost

Incentives Annual

Savings

Simple

Payback

Lighting $140,000 $25,000 $35,000 3.3 years

HVAC – Electrical $900,000 $150,000 $68,000 11 years

Natural Gas $500,000 $40,000 $57,000 7.7 years

Totals $1,540,000 $215,000 $160,000 8.3 years

The next table summarizes costs and savings for Bennett Center and the Hospital. Note

that these figures are approximate – estimates of costs and savings for improvements in

the Tunnel, Exterior Lighting and Natural Gas upgrades are split equally between the two

facilities.

Facility Investment Incentives Annual

Savings

Simple

Payback

Bennett Center $ 751,000 $ 111,000 $ 88,000 7.3 years

Hospital $ 789,000 $ 104,000 $ 72,000 9.5 years

Total $ 1,540,000 $ 215,000 $ 160,000 8.3 years


Impact on Energy Intensity The combined impact of the preceding recommendations on energy intensity is

summarized below. All values are in equivalent kilowatt hours/square foot (ekWh/ft2)

Recommendation Electricity

Intensity

Savings

Natural Gas

Intensity

Savings

Total Energy

Intensity

Savings

Lighting 2.26

HVAC 4.41

Boiler Plant/HVAC 15.44

Total 6.67 15.44 22.11

If the preceding recommendations can achieve these savings, the resulting energy

intensity will drop from 69.0 ekWh/ft2 to 46.9 ekWh/ft2. The resulting energy intensity is

approximately 22% below the weighted average benchmark from the OHA 2006

Benchmark study, consistent with the goal we suggested earlier.


Next Steps Our assessment has determined that there is a sizeable opportunity for improving energy

efficiency and reducing operating costs at the Georgetown Hospital. As we stated earlier,

the assessment was high-level and cannot be used to move directly into design or

construction of the recommended improvements. Here we discuss a few paths that you

may follow to validate these findings and proceed to construction with confidence.

Detailed Audit

Halton Hills Hydro, through the Ontario Power Authority, and Union Gas have incentives

available to financially support detailed energy audits. You can follow this path to gain

more certainty about the viability of the recommendations in this assessment before

deciding on a contracting approach.

The Electricity Survey and Analysis incentive provides up to $25,000 in funding

according to the following formula:

$0.10/ft2 for the first 30,000 square feet

$0.05/ft2 for areas above 30,000 square feet

The incentive is capped at 50% of total eligible audit costs less any third-party

contributions (ie Union Gas Incentives). For Georgetown Hospital, the potential incentive

from the Electricity Survey and Analysis could be:

30,000 ft2 x $0.10 = $3,000

111,700 ft2 x $0.05 = $5,585

Total = $8,585

To be eligible for this full amount, the eligible audit costs would have to be greater than

$17,170.

Additional funding for Detailed Analysis of Capital Improvements and Detailed Analysis

of Non-Capital Improvements are also available when following a Electricity Survey and

Analysis. The Capital Improvements Analysis is based on $0.05/ft up to $10,000. The

Non-Capital Intensive funding is capped at $5,000.

For more information go to https://saveonenergy.ca/Business/Program-Overviews/Audit-

Funding.aspx.

Union Gas also offers funding for Feasibility Studies based on 50% of eligible costs up to

$10,000.

https://saveonenergy.ca/Business/Program-Overviews/Audit-Funding.aspx

https://saveonenergy.ca/Business/Program-Overviews/Audit-Funding.aspx


Implementation – Conventional Procurement

Following the audit stage, you will have sufficient confidence in the costs, savings and

incentives to embark on project implementation with confidence. Further design

engineering may be required to develop specifications and design drawings but the final

outcome should still be reasonably certain.

When undertaking a conventional procurement approach, it can be done on a ‘measure by

measure’ basis or comprehensively. Organizations sometimes elect to proceed on a

‘measure by measure’ basis, focussing on the low payback options first. The challenge

with this approach is that it then becomes harder to secure funding for the longer payback

measures that must stand on their own financially. This is particularly true of

improvements like HVAC that provide for extensive infrastructure renewal.

Unfortunately, this benefit is not well reflected in a simple payback analysis.

The greatest challenge usually faced by organizations looking to implement energy

efficiency improvements is access to capital. This assessment has suggested that it would

require investment of approximately $1.5 million to have a meaningful impact on your

operating costs. This is a sizeable investment and often must compete with other

priorities in the hospital that perhaps have a greater impact on patient care.

Implementation – Energy Performance Contracting

An alternative to conventional procurement is to use Energy Performance Contracting

(EPC) as the delivery method. EPC is a proven contracting approach used by specialist

firms who provide a turn-key solution of design, construction, financing and ongoing

performance management. It is well suited to larger projects (> $1 million) that involve a

wide range of systems and can generate large energy savings.

EPC offers some advantages over conventional procurement that may be of interest to

Georgetown Hospital

In-house energy experts who are intimately familiar with the energy implications

of design decisions

Turnkey abilities from audit to design, construction, commissioning and ongoing

performance management

Ability to provide 3rd party financing for construction to avoid competing for

limited internal capital

Energy savings performance guarantees to ensure the financial viability of the

project

EPC has been used extensively in the public sector in Canada and there a numerous local

firms that have the resources and expertise for a project like this one.


Appendix – Electric Equipment Inventory

Lighting

Area Description Type Operation Number

Hospital General Lighting 2x4' T8 Baseload 300

Hospital Room Lighting 2x4' T8 Daytime 250

Hospital Above Bed 1x4' T12 (2 per bed) Daytime 66

Tunnel Hallways 2x4' T12 Baseload 100

Bennett General Lighting 2x4' T12 Baseload 900

Bennett Room Lighting 2x4' T12 Daytime 600

Bennett Above Bed 1x4' T12 (2 per bed) Daytime 50

Exterior Parking 2 x 400 w HPS Nighttime 3

Exterior Pathway/Driveway 1 x 70 w HPS Nighttime 39

Exterior Wallpacks Misc. HPS, MH Nighttime 8

Exterior Bennett Entry 100 W Incandescent Nighttime 6

HVAC

Area Name/Tag Total

Fan

Power

Cooling

Type

Cooling

Capacity

(tons)

Heating

Type

Notes

Hospital RTU1 5 DX 7.4 HW





Hospital RTU6 12.5 DX 20.7 HW


Hospital S2 5 DX 13.2 HW

Hospital S4 3 DX 14.4 HW

Hospital S6 20 CW HW Estimate, no data

Hospital S7 2 DX 5 HW Estimate, no data

Hospital MZU 22.5 CW Steam

Tunnel AHU6 0.5 DX 1.5 HW

Bennett AHU1 15 CW None Estimate, no data

Bennett AHU2 15 CW HW Multi-zone, estimate,

no data


Area Name/Tag Total

Fan

Power

Cooling

Type

Cooling

Capacity

(tons)

Heating

Type

Notes

Bennett AHU3 15 CW None Estimate, no data;

multizone unit

Bennett AHU4 1 None None Estimate, electrical

room

Bennett AHU5 2 None HW Estimate, kitchen

MUA

Bennett AHU7 10 DX 25 HW Estimate, no data



Bennett RTU1B 2 DX 5 Gas




Bennett RTU5B 7.5 CW HW

Bennett RTU6B 7.5 CW HW

Area Name/Tag Cooling

Capacity

(tons)

Notes

Hospital Chiller 80 Packaged, air-cooled

Bennett Chiller 80 Packaged, air cooled

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