The top three emerging trends driving the global energy management systems market for the health care sector according to Technavio energy research analysts are:

• Increasing need for cost reduction.

• Rising need for energy conservation.

• Increasing certification.

INCREASING NEED FOR COST REDUCTION

Health care facilities are one of the most energy intensive users, as they involve the use of equipment which runs around the clock for the care of its in-house patients. With an increasingly aging population, rise in population, and chronic diseases, there is a growth in demand for health care services.

Simultaneously, there is also a steady increase in electricity prices, which has increased the operating cost of health care facilities, leading to a direct impact on bottom line expenses. By implementing energy management practices, a typical building can save 10 percent to 20 percent on its power consumption and extend it above 30 percent with a comprehensive energy plan. “The need to reduce health care expenditure has been driving the need for energy management systems such as intelligent HVAC controls, LED lighting, and sensors, to be installed for efficient power management,” said Roy.

RISING NEED FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION

Hospitals consume significant amounts of electricity due to the installation of various kinds of infrastructure and equipment such as 24-hour operating theaters, large volume rooms and corridors, along with surgical and diagnostic equipment.

Energy management is considered to be one of the most efficient methods to reduce energy usage in this sector. There are various processes involved in energy management, which include recording, normalizing, analyzing, targeting, monitoring, reporting, and controlling. This involves finding opportunities for improvement and installing devices such as sensors and HVAC and lighting controls for conserving power.

Energy management systems also facilitate the creation of targets for reducing energy consumption, monitoring the use to check if it matches the set targets, and reporting the outcome to the end-user. This enables a measured reduction in energy usage and reduces overall costs, which is one of the major factors driving the growth of energy management in the health care sector.

INCREASING CERTIFICATION

The need to reduce energy consumption has led to government programs such as Energy Star, which promotes energy efficiency.

The Energy Star program for buildings helps organizations to monitor, estimate, and reduce their building energy consumption as well as evaluate the financial implications of the improved energy performance. The program rates a building on a 1-100 scale based on data from 12 consecutive months enabling them to identify areas of improvement and devise the most efficient way to save energy.

Apart from the Energy Star, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is another program that is being adopted in the health care industry. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it is one of the most popular and widely recognized green building rating systems. LEED-certified buildings use less energy and water, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs.

Publication date: 6/15/2016