Hospitals, clinics in Singapore step up energy-saving measures, say patient care not affected
From adjusting air-conditioning to adopting more energy-efficient systems, private healthcare facilities are cutting electricity use as tariffs rise.
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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.
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.
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Temperatures at Farrer Park Hospital’s operating theatres are set between 18°C and 25°C, depending on medical needs, said Mr Koh Wee Fong, the hospital’s operations manager.
Humidity levels in these spaces are also kept within a controlled range.
In addition, MOH regulations require high ventilation rates, including about 20 air changes per hour in operating theatres to reduce infection risks, he added.
Air changes refer to how often air is circulated in a space. This is an energy-intensive process as large volumes of air must be continuously cooled, dehumidified and filtered.
To better track consumption, the hospital plans to install additional power meters across departments to identify areas with the highest energy use, Mr Koh said.
CLINICS SEE ENERGY SAVINGS
At the Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery, a private cancer treatment group, air-conditioning temperatures are now fixed at around 24°C to 25°C in waiting areas.
Previously, temperatures were often set lower based on staff comfort, said Dr Daniel Tan, the clinic’s director.
In treatment rooms housing specialised equipment, air-conditioning is calibrated to meet machine requirements.
The clinic has also replaced older air-conditioning systems with newer inverter units, which are more energy efficient.
Together, these measures resulted in energy savings of 10 to 15 per cent, Dr Tan added.
Beyond facility upgrades, advances in medical technology are also helping to reduce energy use.
Newer linear accelerators – which deliver radiation therapy for cancer treatment – are designed with energy efficiency in mind while maintaining clinical effectiveness, Dr Tan noted.
Doctors are also adopting more targeted treatments that require fewer sessions.
For example, stereotactic radiotherapy can deliver precise, high-dose radiation in a much shorter time.
“In appropriate conditions, it reduces the patient’s number of sessions from anywhere from four to six weeks to two weeks or less, in some cases, only one session,” Dr Tan said.
This means fewer trips to the clinic, reducing both energy use on-site and travel by patients.
Healthcare providers say energy conservation does not have to come at the expense of patient outcomes.
“When people think about healthcare, they have the priority of clinical outcomes above all else, and they think that energy conservation is mutually exclusive to clinical quality. But that’s not true at all,” said Dr Tan.
“We have learned over the past month that careful, deliberate and meticulous calibration can bring us to a point of energy savings, and if everybody plays their part, I think we can achieve both clinical quality and environmental sustainability,” he added.
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