AUSTRALIAn
u InDUSTRY
mAGA21nE
• DECEmBER
2012
TRIGENERATION: A HEALTHY, ENERGY-SAVING CHOICE Each hospital features a key Innovation: a specially designed, independent energy plant It's a great idea to start with but, even better, both systems use state-of -the-art trigenerat1on technology to improve energy effic1ency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Put simply, trigeneration uses a s1ngle source of fuel to provide three things: electricity, heating and cooling, says Leigh Graham, National Engineering Manager at AE Smith . Cogeneration, a similar system. uses one source of fuel to provide two of these. usually electricity and heating Gas energy comes in. says Leigh, and goes through a gas generator. Th1s generates the electricity for the entire building . The 'waste heat', produced as a byproduct of power generation, is then captured to provide heating.
Now, here's the really clever bit The heat runs through a heat exchanger. and a special absorption chiller. This refrigeration cycle then produces cooling for the building . Trigeneration is a natural choice for commercial buildings and facilities like hospitals. laboratories, shopping centres and airports with large and constant electrical, heating and cooling requirements Because trigeneration uses gas, not coal, to generate power- and because gas is almost four times more efficient than burning coaltrigeneration reduces greenhouse gas emissions while reducing the demands on fossil fuel. It also reduces energy costs
THE RCH: VICTORIA'S LARGEST-EVER HEALTH PROJECT The new Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne IS a $1 billion public private partnership IPPP)- a landmark construction for Victoria with 165,000m' over 7 levels and 75,000m 2 of car parking As well as housing a world-class paediatric hospital, the RCH partnered with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the University of Melbourne to include research and education facilities over the 4 1 hectare site As you've probably heard- or seenby now, the hospital incorporates a two-storey coral reef aquarium, a bean bag cinema and a Meerkat enclosure managed by Melbourne Zoo staff. Doctors William Smith and John Singleton who first opened the hospital in 1870. would scarcely believe their eyes if they were to see it today. Their 'Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children' at 39 Stephen St (now 49 Exhibition Stl in the CBD had just six inpatient beds In contrast. the RCH treated 33 560 inpatients in 2010 and there we're 210 956 outpatient clinic appointments And the new hospital has the capacity to treat an additional35,000 patients every year.
Green stars
Installation: a sustainable joint venture
Inspired by its parkland settin g, the new hospital design reflects growing evidence of the importance of nature and environment to the healing process . The building is flooded with natural light and splashed with colour.
Given the sheer scale of the installation AG Coombs and AE Smith formed a , special joint venture called RACAH for the task of installing the mechanical services in the RCH . They were JOined by Cummins who provided the generator sets and PSG Victoria, the principal electrical services contractor.
The RCH has a 5 Star Green Star rating target - the firs t for this type of facility As well as installing a trigeneration plant, the re will be an overall 45% reduction in greenhouse gases through innovations such as: energy efficient lighting, heating and cooli ng systems
"It was an excellent collaboration路路 said Kevin Wilson. Project Manag,er for AG Coombs, specialists in whole-of-life efficient building services "Our people fitted well together .. we taught each other a lot ..
a bla ckwater treatment system, rainwater collection, water-efficient fittings and wate r- co nscious landscaping
The project ran over four and a half years from bid to completion . The number of people in their mechanical services team reached 250 at one time
'active chilled beams', which use cold wate r and fresh air to provi de gentle cooling, improved air quality and improved efficiency
"This was a huge challenge- the first installation of its kind in Australia .. says Kevin "These are complex ' systems involving intricate services ..
roof-top solar panels providing around 40% of hot water for ward areas
They also needed to put a full plant replacement strategy in place. "The generators are upwards of 15 tonnes," says Nathan Saffery, Project Manager for PSG Victoria . "Like a bit of Lego on a plan. we have to be able to manoeuvre them out of there, if required We needed clear zones through corridors and doors at a certain height- so that was a challenge before we even started ..
green transport options for travelling to the hosp ital, including a tram super-stop and 500 secure bike parking spots.
The RCH trigeneration system incorporates two 1160 kW lean-burn gas generator sets in parallel, and three 2250 kVA diesel generator sets, controlled by two digital master controllers, one each for the gas and diesel generators Active chilled beams use cold water and fresh air to provide gentle cooling with improved efficiency. An 800kW biomass boiler uses renewable energy to help heat the hosp1tal "Trigeneration is 50% more economical versus generating the same amount of energy via mains power. It will take 12 to 18 months to show the energy savings, but the hospital will then reap the benefits," says Kevin ''It was a very happy day when we turned the power on," says Nathan "It was a huge milestone .. The focus at the RCH now moves to Stage 2, which includes construction of a 90-room hotel, a gym and a small supermarket. It also includes the demolition of most of the old hospital Eventually, the old hospital site will be reinstated as parkland This second stage is expected to be finished by the end of 2014
WWW P L U M BE R C OM A U
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29
TRIGENERATION: A HEALTHY, ENERGY-SAVING CHOICE Each hospital features a key Innovation: a specially designed, independent energy plant It's a great idea to start with but, even better, both systems use state-of -the-art trigenerat1on technology to improve energy effic1ency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Put simply, trigeneration uses a s1ngle source of fuel to provide three things: electricity, heating and cooling, says Leigh Graham, National Engineering Manager at AE Smith . Cogeneration, a similar system. uses one source of fuel to provide two of these. usually electricity and heating Gas energy comes in. says Leigh, and goes through a gas generator. Th1s generates the electricity for the entire building . The 'waste heat', produced as a byproduct of power generation, is then captured to provide heating.
Now, here's the really clever bit The heat runs through a heat exchanger. and a special absorption chiller. This refrigeration cycle then produces cooling for the building . Trigeneration is a natural choice for commercial buildings and facilities like hospitals. laboratories, shopping centres and airports with large and constant electrical, heating and cooling requirements Because trigeneration uses gas, not coal, to generate power- and because gas is almost four times more efficient than burning coaltrigeneration reduces greenhouse gas emissions while reducing the demands on fossil fuel. It also reduces energy costs
THE RCH: VICTORIA'S LARGEST-EVER HEALTH PROJECT The new Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne IS a $1 billion public private partnership IPPP)- a landmark construction for Victoria with 165,000m' over 7 levels and 75,000m 2 of car parking As well as housing a world-class paediatric hospital, the RCH partnered with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the University of Melbourne to include research and education facilities over the 4 1 hectare site As you've probably heard- or seenby now, the hospital incorporates a two-storey coral reef aquarium, a bean bag cinema and a Meerkat enclosure managed by Melbourne Zoo staff. Doctors William Smith and John Singleton who first opened the hospital in 1870. would scarcely believe their eyes if they were to see it today. Their 'Melbourne Free Hospital for Sick Children' at 39 Stephen St (now 49 Exhibition Stl in the CBD had just six inpatient beds In contrast. the RCH treated 33 560 inpatients in 2010 and there we're 210 956 outpatient clinic appointments And the new hospital has the capacity to treat an additional35,000 patients every year.
Green stars
Installation: a sustainable joint venture
Inspired by its parkland settin g, the new hospital design reflects growing evidence of the importance of nature and environment to the healing process . The building is flooded with natural light and splashed with colour.
Given the sheer scale of the installation AG Coombs and AE Smith formed a , special joint venture called RACAH for the task of installing the mechanical services in the RCH . They were JOined by Cummins who provided the generator sets and PSG Victoria, the principal electrical services contractor.
The RCH has a 5 Star Green Star rating target - the firs t for this type of facility As well as installing a trigeneration plant, the re will be an overall 45% reduction in greenhouse gases through innovations such as: energy efficient lighting, heating and cooli ng systems
"It was an excellent collaboration路路 said Kevin Wilson. Project Manag,er for AG Coombs, specialists in whole-of-life efficient building services "Our people fitted well together .. we taught each other a lot ..
a bla ckwater treatment system, rainwater collection, water-efficient fittings and wate r- co nscious landscaping
The project ran over four and a half years from bid to completion . The number of people in their mechanical services team reached 250 at one time
'active chilled beams', which use cold wate r and fresh air to provi de gentle cooling, improved air quality and improved efficiency
"This was a huge challenge- the first installation of its kind in Australia .. says Kevin "These are complex ' systems involving intricate services ..
roof-top solar panels providing around 40% of hot water for ward areas
They also needed to put a full plant replacement strategy in place. "The generators are upwards of 15 tonnes," says Nathan Saffery, Project Manager for PSG Victoria . "Like a bit of Lego on a plan. we have to be able to manoeuvre them out of there, if required We needed clear zones through corridors and doors at a certain height- so that was a challenge before we even started ..
green transport options for travelling to the hosp ital, including a tram super-stop and 500 secure bike parking spots.
The RCH trigeneration system incorporates two 1160 kW lean-burn gas generator sets in parallel, and three 2250 kVA diesel generator sets, controlled by two digital master controllers, one each for the gas and diesel generators Active chilled beams use cold water and fresh air to provide gentle cooling with improved efficiency. An 800kW biomass boiler uses renewable energy to help heat the hosp1tal "Trigeneration is 50% more economical versus generating the same amount of energy via mains power. It will take 12 to 18 months to show the energy savings, but the hospital will then reap the benefits," says Kevin ''It was a very happy day when we turned the power on," says Nathan "It was a huge milestone .. The focus at the RCH now moves to Stage 2, which includes construction of a 90-room hotel, a gym and a small supermarket. It also includes the demolition of most of the old hospital Eventually, the old hospital site will be reinstated as parkland This second stage is expected to be finished by the end of 2014
WWW P L U M BE R C OM A U
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29
THE QCH: A CENTREPIECE FOR QUEENSLAND The Queensland Children's Hospital project is a $1.5 billion program of works to improve children's health services in Queensland. The new hospital is bringing together the Royal Children's Hospital and Mater Children's Hospital to create a centrepiece for paediatric health care in the state. The new QCH building will have 12 clinical levels and its own helipad for emergency access. The site also includes an academic and research facility dedicated to child and adolescent health. It will have a total floor space of approximately 80,000m 1 - which is roughly equivalent to 12 rugby fields This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Queensland Health to create a new children's hospital designed with the needs of children. young people and families in mind. The vision for the QCH is a healthy living space inside and out to help children recover as quickly as possible. The architects developed a building design that is not only functional. but also sympathetic to the environment.
Environmentally sustainable design The design vision includes access to green space. rooftop gardens, natural light and fresh air, including extra large portals and windows to bring daylight into the building- features which are desperately missing in older hospitals. The design of the QCH is based on the concept of a living tree with a network of trunks and branches which punctuate the building and connect the inside with the outside. These branches and atria will help promote natural ventilation and lighting. maximise external views and provide areas of respite for patients, visitors and staff. Like the RCH, environmentally sustainable principles in the operation of the QCH will help improve the building's indoor air quality and reduce its energy, water and resource consumption.
Innovations include: rain water harvesting for use in irrigation systems high efficiency water and lighting fittings and fixtures chilled beams for cooling in ward areas facade that optimises light and reduces heat and glare waste minimisation and recycling initiatives secure bicycle facilities for staff and visitors access to natural light, fresh air and green space. With construction underway. approximately 90 per cent of materials removed from the construction site such as concrete, steel. timber. plaster board and electrical cable drums are either recycled or reused. General waste from the site is sent to a landfill that creates green or renewable electricity, and tool wash is treated and reused as recycled water for industry.
Installing trigeneration and turning the key Like the RCH, the QCH energy plant features trigeneration. What's different is that enengy efficiency and mechanical services specialists AE Smith had the chance to offer their own "turnkey" trigeneration package, complete with diesel generator backup and power generation controls. Rather than electrical and mechanical services being contracted separately, AE Smith has taken the entire responsibility for detailed design documentation. installation and comm1ss1on1ng. It's a significant development for the industry, says Ashley Robinson, AE Smith Project Director. "The QCH energy plant will be a showcase for the technology. It will change the way mechanical services are delivered ... and it's an idea that builders love ... he says. "It's happening now. It's not a future plan. Right now, gas power generation is the best. most practical and feasible solution for green buildings. And we're doing everything." Their QCH solution includes a 6 MVA combined heat and power (CHP) unit powered through gas-fired engines. This produces heat for all the heating systems. chilled water for air conditioning. and 4.8 MW of electricity. It also includes 12 MVA stand-by diesel power generators.
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The trigeneration facility will be a five-level structure with a total floor space of about 4500m1 . In addition to the trigeneration technology, the QCH energy plant will have diesel generators to provide full power security in the event of a blackout and water tanks to collect rain water for use in air conditioning. It will also house chillers. boilers, Energex substations and electrical switchboards. By generating the hospital's power during peak periods. the energy plant will save the local electricity grid the equivalent amount of power consumed by between 3000 and 4000 domestic households, or an entire suburb. "It's an opportunity to contribute something really worthwhile to the hospital. which will bring great benefits ... This is future proofing," says Leigh Graham, AE Smith National Engineering Manager. Meanwhile, construction of the link between the new hospital and existing Mater Hospital buildings is underway. Bulk excavation, then construction. of the QCH Academic and Research Facility will begin soon The QCH team is happy to report all program works are on track, culminating with the opening of the new QCH in late 2014
TRIGENERATION: A POWER SAVING CHOICE Trigeneration produces electricity. heat and cooling from a single fuel. usually natural gas. The process typically involves an engine generator that produces electricity and a heat recovery system to capture the waste heat from the engine's exhaust and cooling system: this is then used for heuting. Wuste heat is also converted with a broad absorption chiller to provide cooling. Rather than generating the same amount of energy from mains power. trigeneration is energy efficient. reduces demands on fossil fuel. reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves on energy costs