MULTI-SOLUTION APPROACH TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Veolia’s advanced digital integration supports Australia's first Carbon Neutral Precinct of its size, enabling efficiency and sustainable optimisation.
| The Challenge
The Mid North Coast Local Health District covers an area of 11,335 square kilometres from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour in NSW. It is a government-funded public health organisation that provides quality healthcare at 11 facilities in the region, offering a diverse range of services to a population of over 218,000.
Hospitals, due to their size and nature of operation, have high energy requirements and finding an effective solution while protecting the sensitivities involved in medical practice can be complex. Typical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are often energy-intensive, which can result in high upfront, operational, and maintenance costs, as well as negative environmental impacts.
In 2016, Mid North Coast began its journey to optimise energy performance across the district, for which Veolia delivered a detailed assessment of the project, securing our energy and water efficiency partnership.
| Veolia’s Solution
An energy performance upgrade was delivered which focused on developing energy conservation measures and sustainable engineering designs at a whole-site scale, principally in large-scale HVAC and mechanical upgrades that are not normally viable in traditional asset management practices.
To reduce the Mid North Coast’s carbon footprint from energy consumption, photovoltaic solar systems were installed at all viable sites within the district, with systems as small as 5 kWp being developed to support even the smaller community health centres, which have a generation capability of 475,000kWh per year. The sites were further supported with energy-efficient lighting upgrades that reduce their total energy consumption by 2,150,000kWh every year.
HVAC upgrade
Inefficient refrigeration compressors were identified and removed, and old HVAC systems were re-engineered into centralised systems throughout relevant sites, which are more energy-efficient and robust. New chillers were introduced at various sites to further support the upgraded HVAC systems and reduce their energy consumption.
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| The Benefits
Greater energy self-sufficiency
The installation of photovoltaic systems at Mid North Coast sites reduced their reliance on fossil fuel-sourced energy, resulting in a lower carbon footprint and cost savings.
Optimised systems
Veolia’s energy performance assessment of Mid North Coast’s sites identified areas for optimisation. Guided by these insights, Veolia improved the customer’s energy efficiency by conducting lighting and HVAC system upgrades.
Innovative & tailored solution
Veolia utilised its sustainable engineering expertise to develop a project plan that embraced new and innovative technology at ‘whole-site’ scales. This approach enabled Veolia to deliver tailored and holistic solutions to Mid North Coast’s sites that met their sustainability needs.
Alignment with government sustainability targets
This contract aligns with the NSW government’s Energy Efficiency Action Plan as it delivers both short and long-term financial and operational benefits through system optimisation.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
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