Environment

Hospitals are energy-intensive facilities. And the increasing use of information technology (IT) and large medical equipment units means that electricity consumption of hospitals is also set to rise in future as well. This not only makes for a bigger “environmental footprint” but also creates economic burdens. To counteract this, RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG is continually improving its energy efficiency.

For already over 20 years, we have been pursuing efforts in generating our own energy with our cogeneration plants (CHPs). A particular advantage of our five plants is the heat they produce as a by-product, which is used for heating, hot water as well as cold generation. In 2015 we generated a total of 39,000 MWh from the combined heat and power of our CHPs, thus covering roughly 38.5 per cent of our electricity needs. This enables annual reductions in CO₂ emissions of about 10,000 t as compared with conventional energy provision. Compared with the previous year, electricity consumption of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG in 2015 rose by 0.6 per cent to reach 102,000 MWh. Heating consumption then rose moderately by 2.5 per cent to just under 128,000 MWh due to weather conditions.

As one of the first facilities in Germany, the Radiology Clinic at UKGM in Gießen has a computer tomography (CT) unit of the latest generation. Compared with conventional units, both the irradiation dose and the amount of contrast agent used in examinations can be reduced here by well over half. With the same electricity consumption, the unit is not only better in terms of speed and performance, but also more efficient. For example, the time needed for an examination is considerably shortened, which means that even small children who otherwise would have to be sedated can be examined without sedation using this unit.

Higher consumption of electricity resulting from the use of a greater number of medical units which are also higher-performing, such as computer and magnetic resonance imaging scanners (CTs, MRIs) or IT servers also means more cooling. To cover these requirements we use, in addition to electrically operated coolers, absorption coolers which are operated at a high level of energy efficiency using heat from our CHPs. In the winter we use “free cooling” for units that have to be cooled during the entire year, by which cool water is cooled with the help of the outside air. For cooling air-conditioned rooms, we are increasingly using what is known as adiabatic cooling without electricity (evaporation cooling). To reduce emissions it is our aim to press ahead with the use of renewable energies within the Group wherever this appears sensible. At the same time, however, energy supply to clinical operations – and thus the safety of our patients – has to be ensured one hundred per cent at all times.

At RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG, emissions are produced primarily in the form of CO₂ from heat and electricity generation. What are referred to as Scope 1 emissions are produced directly on site in our own heat and electricity generation. During the reporting period, these amounted to over 34,000 t of CO₂. Scope 2 emissions cover all indirect emissions from district heating and electricity deliveries. In 2015 they were roughly 35,000 t of CO₂.

All new construction measures at RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG are planned in accordance with state-of-the-art knowledge of energy efficiency. For example, the energy concept at the new hospital complex in Bad Neustadt ensures that only one third of the previous energy consumption is needed to generate heat. Further measures are thermal component activation for air conditioning, or the installation of economical LED lamps. For reasons of economic efficiency, old buildings no longer undergo energy modernisation measures.

In a hospital, drinking water must be guaranteed in high quality at all times. To this end, we review water quality regularly through microbiological tests that well exceed the legal requirements. Moreover, little used lines are regularly flushed, since water may be allowed to stay in the piping for only a limited time if it is not to lose its microbiological quality. During the reporting period, water consumption declined by 4.9 per cent to 706,000 m³. About 35,000 m³ of fresh water are not fed to waste water, e.g. because it is evaporated in the adiabatic cooling process. Waste water is primarily polluted with contrast agents as well as excretions of pharmaceuticals. The amount of waste water of the five sites was roughly 671,000 m³ in 2015.

In addition to energy efficiency, reducing waste in particular is an important objective in managing the environment. This makes not only ecological but also economic sense, since both procuring the materials used and waste disposal generate costs. For professional waste management, each hospital has its own waste officer. Since we pursue a comprehensive approach in waste prevention, we also attach importance to regular training of employees. We thus promote knowledge of proper sorting and disposal of waste on the one hand, and a sparing use of consumables on the other. 

In some cases, the various types of waste of our hospitals have to be disposed of by special processes. Depending on their type, they are measured by weight or volume. Despite the use of disposable materials required by law in more and more areas, a slight downward trend in waste volume can be observed.