Active Power Healthcare Sector Whitepaper provides analysis of sustainable power provision and back up in US hospitals and health centers

Protecting power means protecting patients. Changes in healthcare mean critical power demand is rising. How can providers get the power protection they need while increasing efficiency and lowering emissions?

The rise of Healthtech alongside the grow of digital technology in hospitals and health centers has made reliable power supply more vital than ever.

Yet, like every heavy energy user, across the healthcare sector in large metropolitan hospitals and local health centers, providers are under pressure to use less energy, raise efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Digitization of health is well under way. It spans electronic patient records, patient administration and acute and long-term care where technologies and practices are enabling advances (medical devices, diagnostic imaging, instrumentation, controls, software, data collection and analysis). All have an absolute common requirement – electric power quality.

Combined with the power requirements of medical equipment and utility energy provision, no health provider can operate without the right level of power protection and back up.

“Healthcare facilities in the United States account for 4.8% of the total area in the commercial sector and are responsible for 10.3% of total energy consumption in this sector. The number of healthcare facilities increased by 22% since 2003, leading to a 21% rise in energy consumption and an 8% reduction in energy intensity per unit of area (544.8 kWh/m²). The average energy intensity of U.S. hospitals is 738.5 kWh/m², which is approximately 2.6 times higher than that of other commercial buildings.”

(Source: Energy Consumption Analysis and Characterization of Healthcare Facilities in the United States – https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/19/3775/htm)

In a Health Sector White Paper, Active Power provides an analysis of the growing critical role played by UPS protection and kinetic flywheel back up in keeping hospitals and health centers operating sustainably.

The paper describes the key considerations a health care facility should examine when appraising a UPS system, and evaluates both conventional battery-based systems and the Active Power CleanSource UPS and CleanSource HD UPS.

It says: “UPS systems perform two critical roles in a health care facility. First, they mitigate any electrical disturbances, whether generated by the utility or by the medical equipment itself, such as diagnostic imaging systems that present dynamic loads to the facility electrical systems. Second, they provide continuous power to the facility by virtue of their energy storage.”

The paper is vital reading for facilities managers, engineers and administrators with responsibility for providing continuous, sustainable power while lowering carbon footprint and driving forward green building strategies.

The paper is available for download below.