How Singapore hospitals can help our ailing Earth
As Mr Ng Kian Swan, Chief Operating Officer of Ng Teng Fong Hospital, told Channel NewsAsia, the intriguing paradox of the healthcare sector is that while “you heal the patients, you are not healing the ecosystem.”
It’s not surprising that public healthcare facilities consume a fair amount of energy. Various equipment and services need to be kept running around the clock to ensure all building occupants are comfortable and that patients receive the best possible care.
In fact, a 2014 study by Health Care Without Harm, part of the United Nations Race to Zero campaign, showed that the healthcare sector plays a big part in global warming. The same study found that Singapore’s healthcare sector is the second-largest carbon emitter globally, right up there with countries like Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States.
At the Inaugural Healthcare Sustainability Symposium, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, highlighted three key ways in which healthcare contributes to emissions:
- High energy consumption due to 24/7 operations and specialised equipment
- High water consumption for patient care, sanitisation, and various medical processes
- Complex building infrastructures that make regulating energy challenging
The Government’s GreenGov.sg initiative aims to make the public sector more environmentally friendly by peaking carbon emissions around 2025. However, given Singapore’s commitment to maintaining its world-class healthcare standards, can the sector balance delivering excellent care and lowering carbon emissions?
Fortunately for hospitals, SP Group, committed to enabling a low-carbon, smart energy future, possesses the expertise and resources to tackle this significant challenge. Some healthcare institutions, both locally and abroad, are already lowering their carbon footprints with SP Group’s sustainable energy solutions.
More recently, SP Group secured a project with Chengdu Future Medical City in Sichuan, China to manage their district cooling. The smart control system will improve reliability and energy efficiency by delivering chilled or hot water to a network of buildings. It is expected to reduce electricity use by 17.5% and cut natural gas consumption by 40% annually.
In July 2024, SP Group partnered with SingHealth to install 12 electric vehicles (EV) charging points at SingHealth Tower within the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) Campus. The aim is to extend this to 300 charging points throughout SingHealth’s network, comprising hospitals and clinics by 2028 to become Singapore’s largest EV charging network management provider in the public healthcare sector.
These are just some examples of SP Group’s current initiatives with healthcare institutions. Below are other sustainable energy solutions that SP Group offers, which the healthcare sector can consider tapping into for their sustainability needs.
Besides these ongoing initiatives, SP Group can help hospitals reduce their dependency on fossil fuels by implementing renewable energy solutions, such as solar panelling and digital energy management technologies. This renewable energy can then be stored in energy storage systems (ESS) that can function as a backup power source should there be a sudden power outage, keeping the hospitals running.
Using GET® Control, a microclimate control system, hospitals can also optimise utilities usage based on weather and occupancy in different micro-zones within the building. For instance, when there are fewer people in the office, the air-conditioning will automatically adjust to provide optimal comfort for the remaining occupants. Insights can be tracked using the utilities dashboard. GET® Control can be easily connected to existing building management systems, eliminating the need for expensive and large-scale retrofitting.
As Singapore hospitals continue their journey toward a greener future, SP Group stands ready to support the healthcare sector with innovative, sustainable energy solutions. Together, we can heal not just individuals but also our planet. Partner with SP Group today to drive meaningful change and create a sustainable healthcare system for future generations.
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