A Systems-Efficient Approach to Hospital De-carbonization

Kaiser installs 17 High Efficiency Air Handling Units at Baldwin Park hospital but some aspects of overall project not complete.

Building Decarbonization Low-Carbon Process Heating

Institute of Gas Technology dba GTI Energy

Recipient

Davis, CA

Recipient Location

37th

Senate District

68th

Assembly District

beenhere

$1,225,000

Amount Spent

closed

Completed

Project Status

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Project Result

This agreement is under a partial stop work order because the goals and objectives of the agreement can no longer be met for the following reasons: 1) the heat recovery chillers are using refrigerant R-410A, which has a global warming potential of 2088 and will no longer be allowed after January 1, 2024 per the California Air Resources Board, 2) the heat recovery goal will not be met, and 3) significant project delays have resulted in a project schedule that will extend well beyond the agreement end date.

The project team will focus on wrapping up the project and documenting the results of the technologies that were installed in the final report which will include the detailed modeling (baseline and retrofit scenarios with new equipment), the M&V and evaluation of the new VAV air handlers, the control system, and the design and details to date for the new heat recovery chillers and stack gas economizers.

The Issue

Project Innovation

The project aims to reduce both the gas consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the demonstration site by approximately 30%. This will be accomplished by integrating heat recovery chiller design and boiler stack economizers to reduce steam boiler fuel requirements for the domestic hot water and heating hot water systems. The project will implement a variable air volume system (VAV), design air handlers with separate cold and hot decks to optimize economizer mode, and have model-based optimal control strategy to minimize building HVAC energy consumption.

Project Goals

Reduce natural gas usage by at least 30% in hospitals and other large commercial buildings in California

Overcome barriers for decarbonization by demonstrating an integrated solution for reducing hot water loads.

Project Benefits

The project integrates heat recovery chiller design and boiler stack economizers to reduce gas requirements for the domestic hot water and heating hot water systems. The project also includes a VAV system, air handlers with separate cold and hot decks to optimize economizer mode, and a model-based optimal control strategy. The integration of different heat sources (a heat recovery chiller using heat from the compressor gas and stack economizers using waste stack heat from the boilers) at different pressures and temperatures requires an advanced model to initially design, and then robust measurement and verification to successfully operate, this kind of system. The advancement of technology is associated with harnessing these different systems together, including the condensation of stack gas, all of which contribute to lower gas and electricity use.

Affordability

The integration of a number of advanced technologies could reduce gas use by 30% and reduce overall operating costs by approximately $1 million per year, including about 200,000 therms of gas and over 8,000 megawatt-hours of electricity.