Optimising the choice of energy-thrift measures for hospitals

Abstract

A programme of ninety energy-thrift recommendations, arising from energy audits undertaken for four hospital sites, have been analysed. Approximately, and in general, a law of diminishing returns exists between the magnitudes of the associated capital investments and the resulting savings accruing during the lifetimes of the investments. A simple net present value technique has been developed to maximise the savings resulting from each selected proposed investment. The optimised programme was then tested with respect to its sensitivities to over-estimated savings and under-estimated capital-cost requirements.