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. 2016:2016:6534823.
doi: 10.1155/2016/6534823.

A Quantitative Analysis of Cold Water for Human Consumption in Hospitals in Spain

A G González  1 , J García-Sanz-Calcedo  2 , D R Salgado  3 , A Mena  4
Affiliations

A Quantitative Analysis of Cold Water for Human Consumption in Hospitals in Spain

A G González et al. J Healthc Eng. 2016.

Abstract

An estimation of the water used for human consumption in hospitals is essential to determine possible savings and to fix criteria to improve the design of new water consumption models. The present work reports on cold water for human consumption (CWHC) in hospitals in Spain and determines the possible savings. In the period of 2005-2012, 80 Eco-Management and Audit Schemes (EMAS) from 20 hospitals were analysed. The results conclude that the average annual consumption of CWHC is 1.59 m(3)/m(2) (with a standard deviation of 0.48 m(3)/m(2)), 195.85 m(3)/bed (standard deviation 70.07 m(3)/bed), or 53.69 m(3)/worker (standard deviation 16.64 m(3)/worker). The results demonstrate the possibility of saving 5,600,000 m(3) of water per year. Assuming the cost of water as approximately 1.22 €/m(3), annual savings are estimated as 6,832,000 €. Furthermore, 2,912 MWh of energy could be saved, and the emission of 22,400 annual tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere could be avoided.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Annual average consumption of CWHC and DHW in healthcare centres per hospital bed.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relation between the average annual consumption of CWHC and the built surface area in a hospital.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relation between the average annual consumption of CWHC and the number of workers in a hospital.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Relation between the average annual consumption of CWHC and the number of beds in a hospital.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Average consumption in m3 of CWHC for each indicator: (a) built surface area, (b) number of workers, and (c) number of beds.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Fundación de la Energía de la Comunidad de Madrid. Guía de Ahorro y Eficiencia Energética en Hospitales. 2010.
    1. Ambientum. El Portal Profesional del Medio Ambiente. El Consumo de Agua en Porcentajes; 2005.
    1. Ministry of Agriculture. Food and Environment. Madrid, Spain: Ministry of Agriculture; 1998.
    1. European Union. Final Report. European Commission, DG Environment; 2012. Water performance of buildings.
    1. Gleick P. H., Haasz D., Henges-Jeck C., et al. Waste Not, Want Not: The Potential for Urban Water Conservation in California. Hayward, Calif, USA: Alonzo Printing; 2003.

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