A Model for the Evaluation of Energy Indicators in End Users Audit for Hospital Sector

Abstract

Hospitals are complex building systems and they uses a large amount of energy in many different ways. Generally energy efficiency is not one of the main priorities in such structures, where the management mainly focuses on the continuity and the reliability of the energy supply. As a consequence this sector shows a high potential for energy savings. Furthermore the energy efficiency measures enforce the energy systems reliability. The first step in implementation of energy efficiency objectives and measures is the audit phase where the initial energy performance is assessed. Generally a complete audit needs the collection of many parameters and data (indicators) and that makes this procedure very long and expensive. Sometimes it is impossible to completely estimate the energy performance because of a lack of information. This paper proposes an algorithm able to operate a substantial reduction of all the indicators to be collected for the evaluation of the performance of energy end users. The model makes possible to estimate all the energy performance indicators (dependent) as a function of a small number of indicators (independent) whose estimation is simpler. It has been applied to the hospitals sector, but can be applied also to domestic energy sector and to a large number of the tertiary and commercial end users. The model operates the implementation of the mutual relationships among all the indicators involved in the energy performance evaluation. The indicator values are defined by applying mainly a statistical analysis of an adequate number of energy efficiency case studies. Furthermore design standards are applied in order to improve the indicators definitions. The model has been tested and validated in some case studies discussed.