HSE improves energy efficiency in County Kerry facilities
The HSE Capital and Estates South West reviewed its energy use in two County Kerry facilities. The aim was to make the buildings more efficient, reduce energy bills and cut down on carbon emissions.
Background
Kenmare Community Hospital, County Kerry, provides older people’s services. It opened in 2013 and has 40 beds. Tralee Community Nursing Unit, County Kerry, also provides older people’s services. Operating since 2012, it has 43 beds.
Hospitals are energy intensive buildings that run 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Both facilities experienced high energy bills and operating heating systems that were no longer fit for purpose. It was time for a change.
Kenmare Community Hospital had a biomass boiler that used wood pellets. The team found that sourcing the wood pellets for the boiler was a challenge. The carbon emissions from transporting them were also quite high.
Tralee Community Nursing Unit used an aging and inefficient gas boiler for heating.
Heat pumps
Niall Gibbons, Energy Officer, HSE Capital & Estates, worked with Killarney Mechanical Services (KMS) as the contractor for this project. They chose to replace the existing systems at both locations with air source heat pumps.
These heat pumps use air to water systems. This means taking energy from the outside air and using that to heat both water and the internal spaces.
The projects
Kenmare Community Hospital disconnected, decommissioned and removed its old boiler. The team installed the new heat pumps. They then integrated them with the existing control panel. The contractors completed the installation without interrupting the hospital's daily operations.
Tralee Community Nursing Unit left its old system in place as a backup option. The team disconnected the gas boiler. It was replaced with a heat pump and integrated with the existing control panel. This was done without interrupting the unit's services.
The projects took about a year to plan and complete. They were finished in early 2024. Each location had its own unique set of circumstances. The Energy Team devised a bespoke approach for both.
The final step was ensuring a smooth handover of the new system to the local maintenance teams.
The team encountered challenges around setting the optimum temperatures. The water had to be heated to the 65ºC needed in a healthcare setting. They realised the hot water set up needs to be looked at first. Then the space heating should be considered. This knowledge can now be shared between HSE facilities considering the same energy upgrades.
“The installation of a heat pump system to heat our facilities is a better choice for the environment. The heat pumps at Kenmare and Tralee use electricity rather than fossil fuels; which aligns with the ambitious plans of our country to develop renewables.”
Results
The Energy Team reported significant predicted savings in CO2 emissions and energy use across both locations. Kenmare Community Hospital will save enough energy to power 41 standard houses per year. It will also reduce its CO2 emissions by over 35 tonnes.
In Tralee Community Nursing Unit, the energy saved would run 31 houses. Its carbon emissions will be reduced by 27 tonnes annually. The savings in financial terms will be significant too and the payback periods are six to eight years.
The result is warmer, more comfortable, and healthier conditions for staff and patients. There are obvious benefits for the environment too.
Pathfinder programme
This project was supported by SEAI’s pathfinder programme. Through this programme, SEAI partners with public bodies, such as the HSE, to achieve their retrofit goals. We do this by building capacity and knowledge within the sector.
Pathfinder programme (opens in a new tab)
