In Switzerland too, as everywhere else in Europe, energy sobriety imposed itself, at the time of the war in Ukraine and the general rise in the price of energy, as much for individuals, companies, communities, than for hospitals. Also, in Geneva, the University Hospitals (HUG) have taken the lead in reducing their energy consumption and their bills without inconveniencing patients. As often, the easiest way to make savings is on the ceiling: the lights represent 30% of the establishment’s electricity bill. The hospital has therefore placed motion detectors everywhere, so that the bulbs only come on when they are needed.
“Here in the staff restaurant the lights weren’t necessarily turned off at night which is a shame as it’s closed until 6am so there was no point“, explains Pierre-André Zuber, the maintenance manager. Another example, the nurses must now unplug the syringe pumps when they are loaded. The logic is the same as with their mobile phone at home.
The crisis linked to the war in Ukraine, which also affects Switzerland, paradoxically made it possible to put an end to several practice energy guzzlers. “There we are in the pharmacy“, describes Pierre-André Zuber. “Some medicines have to be kept at cold temperatures, so now we put in medicine fridges so as not to air-condition the whole room. Like this, the volume is much lower to cool“, he adds.
Everything was combed through. The number of escalators has been reduced, the programming of elevators has been modified, and the giant neon sign positioned on the roof of the building is now off. More symbolic measures than anything else sometimes, but which put end to end, could well make it possible to avoid the blackout this winter.
“It’s not just one service that can do these kinds of things, everyone needs to participate, and this crisis allows us to put that in the spotlight.”
Pierre-André Zuber, HUG maintenance managerat franceinfo
So far, the patients don’t seem to have noticed anything. The staff is aware of this, especially since all agents are asked to report any energy losses they notice in the building. “For my part, it has not affected my daily practice, says this doctor. You may notice it more during the winter. On the other hand, there are things on which we won’t happen not to save energy. Anything ventilator, intensive care, there are things where it will be difficult.“
However, this transformation of the hospital towards more sobriety does not date from the war in Ukraine: in 2009, the HUG were the first European hospital to carry out an eco-assessment. There remains another more complicated reality to advance: the buildings are heated with gas, which represents 60% of the establishment’s total energy consumption. A gas that comes half from Russia.