Balearic hospitals could save millions

Details emerging from the research on the 3'169 hospital beds available in the Balearics, suggested Son Espases hospital in Palma could save 900'000 euros a year were energy saving controls to be introduced in real time, Manacor hospital 200'000 euros, and 100'000 at Mateu Orfila hospital on Minorca.

Reducing the deficit
According to “Euroconsult” researchers, were similar energy expenditure controls to be applied across the country, an annual saving of 178.8 million euros could be made.

The report stated that the reduction in light, water and gas in hospitals - which claim 2 percent of all Spain's energy - is “one of the priorities” of the National Health System in the context of the current economic crisis.

Such savings, said Euroconsult, could contribute significantly to bringing down regional deficit across the country.
Furthermore company sources claimed, the savings would mean that regional and national government could discount having to introduce unpopular methods of introducing hidden taxes to help pay for what is currently a very expensive public health service.

Although Euroconsult acknowledged that there is a wide variance in the size and nature of hospitals around the country, a cross-sector study of patient beds showed that the larger hospitals - providing over 1'000 beds to the public - could save more than 1.1 million euros annually.

Top Euroconsult and iGreen director Carlos Saez said that researchers were not suggesting usual energy saving methods such as low energy bulbs, but rather replacing gasoil boilers with ones run by natural gas and the introduction of systems which produced electricity on site. The original investment cost of real time management could be amortised within just one year, Saez claimed.