Page 4656 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 19 October 2010
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recently been completed and also our thinking on the design of the new buildings that are underway across the ACT.
ACT Health has implemented a number of specific sustainability initiatives within the CADP and is continuing to plan on a number of other initiatives. But in terms of some of the sustainable actions already implemented, we have completed the designs of a number of new major health facilities that have integrated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include the women’s and children’s hospital, the new southern multi-storey car park, and the new adult acute mental health in-patient unit.
Some of the sustainability strategies that we have already used in these designs include rainwater harvesting tanks which are fitted to the new buildings. For example, there is a 50,000 litre tank fitted to the new women’s and children’s hospital and there is a 680,000 litre tank fitted to the multi-storey car park, and the water harvested from there will be piped into the landscaping around the new acute adult mental health in-patient unit.
Sun shading to the women’s and children’s hospital includes external sun shades as horizontal louvers which protect window openings from direct sun and which are activated by the patient from the patient’s bed. There is a mixed mode of controlled ventilation with natural ventilation and patient-controlled air conditioning and heating to reduce the requirement for air cooling and heating and to enable patients to control their own room temperature.
Use of thermal mass where possible, particularly in the acute adult mental health in-patient unit will have a significant thermal mass achievement through the large on-ground concrete slab and more robust finishes through internal use of masonry. Other strategies include: high efficiency, low energy lighting throughout all new buildings; high efficiency heating and cooling plant to achieve resource efficiencies; positioning of stairs to encourage less use of lifts and, in addition, to provide a health benefit particularly to staff; use of endemic plants in landscaping to reduce the need for water; the elimination of polyvinyl chloride products where possible; and the use of low voltage organic compounds in paints and flooring material.
In addition, as part of our own upgrade program, $300,000 has been allocated for work associated with reducing energy use and environmental sustainability. This includes the installation of more energy efficient hot-water systems in community facilities to replace outdated and inefficient hot-water systems, improved metering systems to improve efficiency and tracking capability, and window tinting to buildings 6 and 12 at TCH to reduce the thermal load on the air conditioning systems.
We are also implementing an integrated building management system at some non-acute sites to allow automated and/or remote monitoring of the environmental system and large plants such as chillers and boilers. There is the installation of energy efficient lighting, occupancy-censored or timer-controlled lighting for non-critical building lighting and air conditioning systems, the installation of flow restrictions or sensor systems for plumbing fixture appliances, the progressive replacement of old and less efficient heating and cooling systems with more efficient systems, and
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