As part of the 15 year contract, Dalkia provided the capital investment of £595,000 for the new energy plant, freeing Trust resources for other purposes.

Llandough Hospital and Community NHS Trust was faced with the need for essential upgrading of the estate's electrical distribution system. In addition to the immediate work, a review of the existing system revealed that energy performance of the hot water generation system was low, and expenditure on backlog maintenance was increasing. Llandough Hospital knew that installation of new energy efficient equipment would reduce cost, but there were a number of other priorities for capital resources.

The Trust consists of six hospitals employing over 1,800 staff. With a broad spread of requirements from neo natal wards to acute care for the elderly, they wished to direct precious resources into the continuous improvement of patient care. To assess the best immediate and long-term solutions to the problem, three options were considered – NHS financing, postponement of all but the most essential work, or Contract Energy Management. After thorough research into the feasibility of each option the CEM route involving Private Finance was chosen.

As part of the 15 year contract, Dalkia provided the capital investment of £595,000 for the new energy plant, freeing Trust resources for other purposes. The contract, which is valued at £400,000 a year, included:

• The installation of three Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units with an output of 150 kWe to provide a base load of electricity, along with a distribution panel and plate heat exchangers to replace the existing calorifiers.
• Conversion of the three existing 9,000 lb/hr boilers and tanks from gas to oil to more cost-effective heavy fuel oil.
• Upgrading of the electrical distribution system.
• Introduction of a Building Management System (BMS) to monitor and control the boilers and CHP units with expansion of the existing BMS for critical point monitoring.

Benefits

• Energy cost savings estimated at £50,000 per annum for the duration of the 15 year contract
• Private investment by Dalkia of £595,000 means that Trust resources can be directed towards patient care
• Consistent and uninterrupted energy supply at all times with reduced reliance on the external network
• Centralised Building Management System for improved control of energy throughout the hospital
• Expert advice on the specification of equipment and the design of the system
• Local support infrastructure for the installation and long-term management of the system with equipment guaranteed for the 15 year contract period