Hospitals Go Green in Singapore

Increasing Success Comes With These Surefire Solar Energy Ideas

Solar energy can be a confusing topic, but it's really not all that complicated. You will be able to make an educated decision once you know more about solar energy. Read on to learn many tips to help you in regard to solar power for your business or home.

If you run a business you know that there are a lot of costs associated with that, one of them being your energy bill. If you have been looking at ways to save the company some money, you should switch over to renewable solar energy. This will not only save you money, but let people know that you are environmentally conscious.

Find out if your local energy provider offers meter rollback programs. Once you have a solar energy system, you should consider joining one of these programs so you can sell the energy you produce to the main grid and draw the same amount of energy instead of purchasing an expensive battery system to store your power.

Many solar panels are fixed in place but others allow for movement to track the sun's path to get the most power from the sun. If you need to install panels that are fixed, a compromise will need to be reached in terms of optimal angles for winter and summer.

If you are going to rent a solar energy system rather than purchasing it, be sure the contract you sign allows you to transfer the lease. Should you move some day, you may have to continue paying on the lease because you can't take the system with you. A transfer option allows you to put the lease in the name of the new owners.

You ought to have a better understanding of basic solar energy concepts. If you know more, you'll be more confident about putting together a plan for solar energy. With this advice, you're ready to begin.

SINGAPORE: Mr Ng Kian Swan works at a hospital, but his job doesn't involve healing patients – it involves healing the environment. The chief operating officer of Ng Teng Fong Hospital is on a mission to make the hospital greener by reducing water and energy consumption. “Healthcare, although we heal patients, there is an interesting paradox … we use a lot of energy, we use a lot of consumables, and that generates a lot of waste, a lot of carbon emissions,” he said.

“You heal the patients but are not healing the ecosystem.”

From small changes like turning up the air-conditioning temperature in rooms to disrupting the way things have been done for years, Mr Ng has been looking at all the things that contribute to the hospital's footprint.

For instance, he used to get upset seeing employees wearing their sweaters in rooms that were too cold for comfort. He said the air-conditioning would be set at 18 degrees Celsius, making the outerwear necessary.

Mr Ng, chairperson of the water and energy task force at the National University Health System (NUHS) cluster level, changed the practice. “All air-con temperatures in offices and some other areas are now set at 25 (degrees),” he said.

CHANGING “LEGACY” PROCESSES

Mr Ng has also decreased the usage of air-conditioning, an electricity guzzler, in other ways that he said disrupted “legacy processes”. “In the good old days, people always thought certain departments needed to run air-con 24/7, 365 (days). Actually, it’s not true,” he said. At Ng Teng Fong, logistics and medical records offices are air-conditioned only from 8 am to 6 pm. The residual coolness is good enough to support the department, said Mr Ng.

“This is one big change, a very radical change,” he said.

He also changed how air-conditioning is used over the weekends when fewer employees work. Previously, even if one employee went to work in the corporate area, central air conditioning would be turned on.

Today, air-conditioning is not an option on weekends. If needed, employees are provided with a portable fan. Another step on the greener path is turning operating theatres – of which there are 18 at NTFGH – to “sleep mode” when they are not in use, reducing the air-conditioning needed. These theatres use the most energy, Mr Ng said.

MEASURING SUCCESS

Another feature in the hospital is a solar system that converts natural sunlight into a heat source which is then used to generate 100 per cent of the hot water supply to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital, where Mr Ng is also a chief operating officer.

Source: https://newsgrab.info/news/healing-patients-and-the-environment-how-two-singapore-hospitals-are-going-green/

Be Environmentally Friendly With These Green Energy Tips

The planet earth contains different sources of energy that can be used to make our lives simpler. The major drawback to many of these sources is that they are harmful to the environment. However, there are greener alternative energy sources that exist that have less of an environmental impact, and you will find out more about them in this article.

Use a solar water heater to keep your pools, tubs and plumbing full of piping hot, but cheap, water. Using natural gas or electricity is not as efficient as solar power, and solar water heaters can keep the water temperature steady. You may get tax deductions to offset the expense of installing some of this technology.

While it makes sense to change from traditional light bulbs to energy-saving light bulbs you should wait until your old ones are all burned out. It is not a good idea to throw away perfectly good bulbs in order to make the switch since that would be a way to waste energy as well.

You should never use a small amount of warm water all at once. Doing this will just gradually increase your overall energy usage. Instead, try using all the warm water you plan on using immediately. For example, you should try having all your family members take a quick shower at once.

Install timers, motion sensors, or sound sensors on lamps, lights and other electrical devices to automate their functions. Such sensors are ideal if you have a hard time remembering to turn off the lights, and because they conserve energy, they can save you a significant amount of your power bill.

As stated before, many forms of energy can be found on earth that we use. Many are harmful to the environment, but there are some which are not. The information outlined here should have given you a clearer understanding of these green energy sources and how they can be utilized in place of other energy sources.