22 November 2023
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A hospital trust in Devon is reducing its energy consumption and carbon footprint by upgrading its cooling and heat systems.
Mitsubishi Electric provided three e-Series EAHV1500 YCL modular heat pump units for underfloor heating in the winter months, and two e-Series EACV1800 YCL modular chillers for underfloor cooling in summer at the Devon Partnership NHS Trust Langdon Hospital site, which serves the Dewnans Centre – a medium secure facility based near the seaside town of Dawlish providing accommodation for men with mental health needs.
The units were connected using the e-Series' unique internal header, which removes the need for separate piping connections, valves and commissioning and reduces cost and installation time.
Collette Germon, Sustainability and Energy manager for the trust, said: “Our old system was not suited to building a greener future. The energy consumption and costs for the old chillers were increasing significantly year on year. We’ve already seen an overall reduction in energy consumption with our new sustainable system, so we are very hopeful that in addition to reducing carbon emissions, we will also be reducing our running costs.”
Another important consideration for the hospital when choosing which manufacturer to work with was the safety of patients and contractor staff, given the sensitivities of a medium security facility.
Rod Butler, Estates Officer, Langdon Hospital, said: “Mitsubishi Electric completely adhered to the strict site-specific rules. They paid special attention to how they interacted with patients and restricted working activities and managed the movement of both plant and equipment when necessary.”
Mitsubishi Electric conducted an initial front-end engineering design to assess the existing M&E infrastructure and its requirements. This helped highlight any issues and provide initial solutions.
Paul Lewis, Turnkey Contracts Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, said: “I had the chance to visit the site with Rod Butler and together we looked at the different options available to find the most suitable and sustainable solution. This was an end-to-end project for us, encompassing everything including design, equipment selection, and replacement of mechanical and electrical items associated with that plant. It was great to be able to support the facility on its road to Net Zero.”
