Payback periods for the pumps range from four months up to several years, with savings of up to £6300 a year available for an outlay of just £4340.
It was early in 2006 that Norman Scott, who is responsible for the maintenance of all plant at Derriford Hospital made contact with Wilo. The company was invited to survey the pumps in all 12 plantrooms and suggest equivalent Wilo pumps.
Dan Wild of Wilo takes up the story. ‘We found the pumps on site ranged from 20 years old down to pumps that had been installed for only a couple of years.
‘When the pumps had been catalogued and new equivalents selected, we calculated the energy costs of the old and the new. It was found that significant savings could be made by installing new Wilo high-efficiency pumps. This saving obviously had to be offset against the capital outlay required to purchase the new pumps. The most significant savings could be made on the older pumps and, not surprisingly, the pumps with larger motor sizes.’
Some pumps would deliver a payback in just a few months and were replaced immediately to produce a saving in that financial year. The hospital has also programmed the replacement of all pumps as funding becomes available.
Wilo has also agreed to train hospital staff in the installation and maintenance of the pumps.
A free site survey and energy comparison shows what an existing set-up is costing and what can be saved by switching to energy-efficient pumps.
