Completed exterior of the Karlovac Hospital, Croatia: Rudan d.o.o
As part of a large-scale initiative led by the Croatian government to boost energy performance contracting, the Karlovac Hospital, which serves a population of ~130,000 people, has been fully energy renovated to a very high standard using energy performance contracting. Built in the 1960s, when energy performance standards were non-existent, the structure consists of a reinforced concrete frame with inefficient and poorly fitted infill panels. With no insulation and single-glaze windows, it leaked a great deal of the warmth supplied by the district heating network, which ran on heating oil.
Although energy savings (54%) are lower than in some projects highlighted, the works delivered other economic benefits in terms of reducing the average length of stay for patients and boosting the health and well-being of staff. Considered together, these benefits clearly prove that energy performance contracting is a viable model for high occupancy, public buildings.
