Power audit for aged care home

FIVE of Grampians Health’s residential properties have received an energy audit with funding from the Grampians Community Power Hub project.

The aim of the initiative was to review the power efficiency of the site through billing and usage data and offer suggestions of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs through insulation and appliance improvements.

In Ballarat, the property reviewed by contractor Northmore Gordon was Norman Street aged care facility Hailey House.

“Site selection was an integral part of this process and GCPH worked with GHS operations managers at facilities… to prioritise sites that would provide additional benefits, as well as improving energy efficiency within the facility and its operations,” said GCPH project manager Sowmya Nagaraj.

Hailey House uses electricity from the grid, an 80-kilowatt solar energy system, and natural gas for hot water and hydronic heating.

The review identified that 64.5 per cent of the hostel’s energy was supporting heating ventilation and air conditioning, while 19.4 per cent was going to hot water.

Lights, cleaning, laundry, kitchen, and office equipment were contributing to the remaining 16.1 per cent of energy use.

Although electrifying space heating and hot water would be expensive initially, the report said lowering hot water boiler temperatures to between 60 and 65 degrees would cost nothing.

Suggestions for improvements included replacing boilers with heat pumps, swapping fluorescent lights for LEDs, installing a 19-kilowatt solar system, and insulating exposed pipes.

It’s expected the changes would save more than $70,000 at Hailey House each year, and greenhouse gas emissions would be cut by 120.8 tonnes, contributing to BREAZE’s target of net zero emissions in Ballarat by 2030.

BREAZE president Mary Debrett said the organisation has supported Grampians Health throughout the project.

“The knowledge provided will assist the managers of the properties concerned to improve their energy efficiency and cut energy bills at this time of rising prices, while also driving down emissions,” she said.