SINGAPORE: Some private hospitals and clinics in Singapore are stepping up efforts to reduce electricity use amid rising electricity tariffs driven by the Middle East conflict.
Hospitals are energy-intensive buildings as they run complex medical equipment around the clock.
After the government urged organisations and households to conserve energy last month, medical facilities say they are finding ways to cut back without compromising patient care.
Such measures include adjusting air-conditioning temperatures and switching off lights in less-used areas like waiting rooms and car parks.
At Farrer Park Hospital, energy conservation efforts have focused on fine-tuning systems rather than cutting usage outright.
The hospital said it has ramped up these measures since the end of March, while continuing to comply with Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines on patient safety and comfort.
Air-conditioning alone can account for 30 to 40 per cent of the hospital’s energy use, a spokesperson told CNA.
It has reduced air-conditioning usage during non-peak hours and overnight in non-clinical areas, and cut lighting in its car park by about 40 per cent after 9pm.
But there are limits to how much consumption can be reduced, as MOH guidelines require strict temperature, humidity and ventilation levels in critical areas such as operating theatres and intensive care units.
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Hospitals are energy-intensive buildings as they run complex medical equipment around the clock.
After the government urged organisations and households to conserve energy last month, medical facilities say they are finding ways to cut back without compromising patient care.
Such measures include adjusting air-conditioning temperatures and switching off lights in less-used areas like waiting rooms and car parks.
FINE-TUNING WITHOUT COMPROMISING SAFETY
At Farrer Park Hospital, energy conservation efforts have focused on fine-tuning systems rather than cutting usage outright.
The hospital said it has ramped up these measures since the end of March, while continuing to comply with Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines on patient safety and comfort.
Air-conditioning alone can account for 30 to 40 per cent of the hospital’s energy use, a spokesperson told CNA.
It has reduced air-conditioning usage during non-peak hours and overnight in non-clinical areas, and cut lighting in its car park by about 40 per cent after 9pm.
But there are limits to how much consumption can be reduced, as MOH guidelines require strict temperature, humidity and ventilation levels in critical areas such as operating theatres and intensive care units.
Continue reading...