Financial assistance for health care facilities
4 minutes reading
Health care facilities must make asset maintenance a priority to ensure service continuity and the comfort of patients and staff. It’s also a way to contribute to the decarbonization of Québec.
The efficient decarbonization of the health care sector: rising to the challenge together
By prioritizing renewables, efficient decarbonization relies on smarter energy use to reduce GHG emissions at the lowest cost to Quebecers. It focuses on energy savings and the implementation of efficient and effective solutions.
With that in mind, the government set ambitious, exemplary targets and high expectations, and Hydro‑Québec’s objectives in the Action Plan 2035 – Towards a Decarbonized and Prosperous Québec are just as ambitious. By contributing to attaining these targets, health care facilities can demonstrate that they, too, are leading by example.
Efficient solutions to be more energy wise
The financial assistance provided under the Efficient Solutions program enables you to acquire more efficient equipment and then invest the savings in other projects. Not sure where to begin? Here are a few suggestions.
Heat recovery: your head start
Buildings generate a lot of heat. Whether it’s in wastewater or released by processes and equipment, heat has major energy efficiency potential that’s often overlooked.
Recovering this valuable form of energy and using it to preheat air and water can give you a head start and yield substantial savings.
The financial assistance provided under the Efficient Solutions Program to purchase heat recovery systems is among the most generous available—an added bonus to ensure a quick return on your investment.
Heat pump: savings and greater comfort
Less electricity and more comfort. That’s the dual benefit of a heat pump. Two types of heat pumps are especially suited to health care facilities:
- An aerothermal heat pump, which is 2.5 times more efficient than standard electric heating.
- A geothermal heat pump, which is up to 4.3 times more efficient than a standard system.
Hydro-Québec provides financial assistance that covers up to 75% of the costs to purchase and install a heat pump.
Mechanical system refurbishment
Over time, electromechanical systems become less efficient, and their settings and control sequences must be adjusted. Just like regular vehicle maintenance, mechanical system maintenance helps prevent major failures and unnecessary electricity use. A regular maintenance program is a sound building management practice.
An expert can assess your facility’s equipment to determine ways to optimize its performance. You could even take advantage of the refurbishment to automate some of the operations.
LED lighting for brilliant savings
Opting for LED lighting is one of the simplest ways to get quick results.
LED bulbs use 70% to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs to generate the same amount of light and keep patients and staff more comfortable.
For health care facilities, the savings are real, especially when LED lighting is combined with motion sensors. Planning to upgrade your lighting systems? There’s no better time than 2024, while financial assistance is available.
Using less electricity when it really counts
Using less energy during winter peaks can prove to be an especially valuable financial lever. Facilities that answer the call by implementing demand response measures earn a credit at the end of the season that they can then invest in asset maintenance.
Here are two avenues to explore to take full advantage of the Demand Response Option.
A generator to take over during winter peaks
It’s important to start a generator every so often to keep it running smoothly, and a peak demand event is the perfect time. You’ll lower your facility’s power demand with no impact on your activities.
Concerned about your carbon footprint? The occasional use of a generator during peak periods releases only a very small amount of GHGs. Even if your facility were to reach the maximum number of curtailed hours in a winter (100 hours), the impact on the overall GHG emissions balance would be negligeable.
Alternate sources of energy
Shaking up your energy mix is another way to reduce power demand without interrupting operations.
Get expert advice
Need expert advice? Firms specializing in industrial automation or consulting engineering can work with you to identify the strategies that will yield benefits in the short term and help you achieve your objectives.
You can also check out the report of the efficient decarbonization of the health care sector [PDF 4 MB - in French only], developed for property managers.
Contact the team at Hydro‑Québec for advice on the best solutions and most advantageous offers for your health care facility.
