The European health care sector is facing future dramatic changes from e.g. the public demand for increased quality of health. Also Europe is facing substantial changes in the energy sector and has set out ambitious targets for abatement of GHG emissions and increased use of renewables.

For the health care sector this could result in massive changes in the economy of the sector, which is among the most energy intensive in Europe. In the health sector the distribution of costs typically is 1:10:50:2000 for design, construction, maintenance, operation. Thus, increased focus on the early design effort provides a huge unexploited potential for improving energy efficiency of the sector.

BUILD HEALTH is the first European project to provide the foundation for making the right decisions regarding energy use and optimization of comfort in the health care sector. The results will not only be on the theoretical level but will be demonstrated in 3 key retrofit projects and by careful monitoring of these and 3 selected case study sites focusing on energy efficiency. Work will be carried out by experts of the sector in close collaboration with end users and decision makers of the 6 projects. Energy and CO2 savings of ~30% compared to new build are expected.

Picture: Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital, UK