The implementation of sustainable energy systems is an objective of the European Union’s energy policy. This policy aims to support and promote secure energy supplies with a high quality of service at competitive prices and in an environmentally compatible manner. The European Commission DG for Energy and Transport initiates, coordinates and manages energy saving policy actions focusing on energy efficiency, maintaining and enhancing security of energy supply and international co-operation. A central policy instrument is the support and promotion of energy Research, Technological Development and Demonstration (RTD), principally through the ENERGIE sub-programme under the European Union’s Fifth Framework Programme for RTD. This includes the HOSPITALS project (EU Contract NO: NNE5-2001-00295). The HOSPITALS project aims to demonstrate the significant reductions that can be achieved in the total energy demand of the European health care building sector. These energy demand reductions will contribute to significant reductions in CO2 emissions.
BIOCLIMATIC DESIGN CONCEPTS
The hospitals project covers a range of strategies to save energy in buildings, with a focus on hospital buildings. This brochure contains general information, guidelines and strategies for Bioclimatic Design of HOSPITALS. The brochure aims to illustrate methods of obtaining large energy savings using bioclimatic design strategies from the first stage of building design. The amount of energy saved and the resulting reduction in CO2 emissions are quantified. The brochure can be used by all those involved in the process of procuring and designing a health care building. The primary target groups of the HOSPITALS project are administrators, facilities managers, designers and contractors of health care buildings. The HOSPITALS initiative aims to demonstrate that renewable energy technologies may be used with very positive results within the European health care building sector and in this