SINGAPORE: Two hospitals in Jurong could become the first in Singapore’s healthcare sector to use a district cooling system for air conditioning, following the signing of an agreement with asset operator Keppel on Thursday (Jun 5).
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital – part of the JurongHealth Campus – will explore the feasibility of integrating with Keppel’s district cooling system.
The system will complement and further optimise their existing efficiency measures, potentially yielding financial savings and reducing their carbon footprint, both hospitals said in a press release.
The hospitals currently rely primarily on a centralised chilled water supply for an array of needs, which include round-the-clock cooling for operating theatres, intensive care units and medical equipment. Healthcare institutions also need standby chillers in case of disruptions.
To optimise energy use, the district cooling system uses technologies such as thermal energy storage and intelligent control, the hospitals said. The system can also provide more reliable and consistent cooling, minimising the risk of disruptions to operations and improving patient comfort.
Unlike conventional cooling systems, where each building has its own chiller, the district cooling system plant generates chilled water and distributes it through underground pipes to a network of buildings for air conditioning.
At Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital, the chilled water will be distributed to critical cooling zones such as laboratories and intensive care units. Heat exchangers will transfer the chilled water to their internal air handling units, then return warm water to Keppel’s plant for re-chilling, re-cooling and reuse.
Besides the hospitals, Keppel's district cooling system will serve future developments in Jurong Lake District, including offices, business parks and residences.
As different types of buildings use the cooling system at different times of the day, the demand for cooling is spread out, reducing peak demand and increasing energy efficiency.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) awarded Keppel the contract to develop the district cooling plan there in June 2023. Keppel has estimated the contract will generate approximately S$950 million (US$738 million) for the company over 30 years, according to the release.
The plant has a capacity of about 29,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT), roughly equivalent to the cooling capacity of around 19,000 1.5-tonne household air conditioning units.
It will provide chilled water and cooling services to an estimated 1.4 million sq m of gross floor area, or close to 200 football fields.
Ms Cindy Lim, CEO of Keppel's infrastructure division, said the district cooling system is expected to lead to a further 2 per cent optimisation in energy efficiency. "With these energy savings and cost optimisation, a total life cycle cost savings of more than S$7 million over 30 years are expected," she added.
Associate Professor Dan Yock Young, the CEO of both hospitals, said that healthcare services consume "significant amounts of energy and water" and generate medical waste.
"As one of the key contributors to the climate crisis, it is imperative for us to look into optimising energy efficiency," he said.
He added that the district cooling plant could reduce the need to replace and maintain chillers. This could, in turn, free up some of the hospital's rooftop and plant room space, which are occupied by cooling towers and standby chillers, for other meaningful activities such as patient care and therapy.
Chief sustainability officer of both hospitals, Mr Ng Kian Swan, called the MOU a “leap forward” as both institutions “explore ways to save the planet”.
“The collaboration could set a new benchmark in the healthcare sector,” he said.
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