VPS contributes to recently completed Coimbra "Friendly Environment Hospital" project

Virtual Power Solutions (VPS), formerly known as ISA Energy, was one of the entities involved in the "Friendly Environment Hospital" project, in Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC). This project - started in 2009 and completed in December 2015 - involved the central and Celas blocks of the Coimbra University Hospital.

VPS equipped these units with an energy consumption and water monitoring tool, and installed electricity, gas, hot and cold water meters. Electric power analysers for parameters related to power quality monitoring were also placed in these units.

After the implementation of the VPS solution, CHUC now has a software platform incorporating a Microsoft SQL Server database and has full access to all data regarding electricity, water and gas consumption via simple web browser interfaces. The monitoring of these data sets allows VPS to identify, in real time, inefficiencies in current consumption patterns, and by setting alarms using the VPS software, can provide real-time alerts.

In addition to the EUR 45,000 invested in the VPS solution, the project included more substantial spending, particularly the replacement of window frames and replacement / renewal of Air handling equipment, installation of photovoltaic panels, conversion of boilers to natural gas and LED lighting replacement, totalling EUR 5.5 million. Of this amount, 85% was financed by European funds and by December last year, 70% of the investment (EUR 3.8 million) had already been recovered. By the end of 2018 CHUC will recover the remaining 30% through savings from the measures taken.