Health launches new energy initiatives
In recognition of the effective energy savings last year, the faculty’s departments are collectively given DKK 2 million to further reduce their energy consumption. The money will be used for a new series of specific, energy-improving measures.
Get an overview of the specific initiatives at each department
Department of Forensic Medicine:
Health Building Services is not responsible for the operation of the buildings of the Department of Forensic Medicine, but Health will still carry out energy measurements on the department’s freezers, refrigerators, and cooling systems. The measurements will assess whether replacing the units would be profitable.
Department of Public Health:
The Department of Public Health buildings 1260-1261 have already undergone several major energy renovation projects over the past three years. Upcoming initiatives include replacing the main electrical panel for the complex and separating electricity meters. Building 1260 has also been selected for a pilot project in a so-called full-scale Smart Building project, which can include measurements of air quality and humidity, among other things. Finally, the base lighting in building 1264 will be replaced with LED fittings.
Department of Clinical Medicine:
At the Department of Clinical Medicine, the grant goes to Påskehøjgård, where the ventilation system supplying the stables is being rebuilt. The new system allows the staff to regulate the ventilation in each individual stable as needed.
Department of Dentistry and Oral Health:
The basic lighting in the clinics on the 2nd and 3rd floors of building 1613 will be replaced by energy-saving LED fittings. The grant also covers routine replacement of the lighting at IOOS.
Department of Biomedicine:
The extra funds give the institute the opportunity to invest in two new -140 degree chest freezers to replace some of the existing nitrogen freezers. In addition, part of the basic lighting will be replaced by LED fixtures.
Aarhus University and Health initiated a number of energy-saving initiatives in September 2022 under the headline 'Kilowhat can you do?'. After three-quarters of a year's work in this area, the faculty has significantly reduced energy consumption, and the effort is generally going well.
To maintain the good habits, the departments are therefore now collectively given two million kroner to locally expand the savings.
The goal is a sustainable workplace
Conor Leerhøy, the head of building services at Health, has recently identified several energy-saving measures to be implemented this year.
The measures are distributed across all five departments and include, among other things, replacements of lighting systems, an extra round of control measurements of the departments many freezers and refrigerators with subsequent replacement if profitable, and reconstruction of process ventilation at Påskehøjgård's stable facilities.
With the new initiatives, Conor Leerhøy expects the departments to reap even more savings on the energy bill.
"Overall, it all looks very good, but now we have to hold on to our new, good habits and continue to save energy where we can. This will make a huge difference in the long run both economically in relation to the continued high energy prices and in the general work of ensuring the university's sustainability," he says.
We have to maintain our climate-friendly behaviour
Dean Anne-Mette Hvas also emphasizes the importance of working together to maintain good habits so that the departments contribute to the goal of moving Health towards a more sustainable future.
"The energy savings at our faculty are based on a huge joint effort. We have made significant progress in terms of our behavior around energy consumption at the faculty, and it is now extremely important that we maintain our collective focus. But it is also important that we continue to implement new initiatives in this area. And that's what we're doing now with the extra funds," she says.
AU has in general, in the period from September 2022 to March 2023, reduced consumption by 17 percent for heat and 16 percent for electricity compared to previous years' consumption. These are great and positive results, which they now want to expand.
The DKK 2 million for energy improvements comes from the dean's strategic funds and are given to specific and already defined initiatives at the departments.
Read also: Kilowhat have we done?
Read more about the university's energy policy, and learn more about how you can save power on the AU staff website.
Contact
Head of building services Conor Leerhøj
Aarhus University, Health Administrative Centre - Health Building Services
Mobile: +45 28 99 22 41
Email: conor@au.dk
Dean Anne-Mette Hvas
Aarhus University, Health
Phone: +45 87 15 20 07
Email: dean.health@au.dk