Rationale and Objectives
We sought to evaluate the power consumption of various devices around the radiology department, audit our use of recycling, and review efforts by vendors to reduce the environmental impact of their products.
Materials and Methods
Using a readily available power monitor, we calculated the power consumption of different devices around our department. In particular, we calculated the financial and environmental cost of leaving equipment on overnight and/or at weekends. When it was not possible to measure energy usage directly, we obtained and reviewed relevant technical manuals. We contacted vendors directly to document how the environmental impact of new technology and decommissioning aging technology is being tackled.
Results
We found that 29 of 43 desktop computers and 25 of 27 picture archiving and communications system (PACS) reporting stations were left on needlessly overnight and/or at weekends, resulting in estimated electrical running costs while not in use of approximately $7253 per year, and CO 2 emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of over 10 passenger cars. We discovered that none of our PACS reporting stations supported energy-saving modes such as “sleep” or “hibernate.” Despite encouraging staff to turn off computers when not in use, a reaudit found no improvement in results.
Conclusions
Simple steps such as turning off computers and air-conditioning units can produce very significant financial and environmental savings. Radiology can lead the way in making hospitals more energy efficient.
The radiology department uses a large amount of energy to power machines such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, interventional radiology suites, and picture archiving and communications system (PACS) reporting systems. This energy consumption is in addition to that required to power general office equipment, such as air-conditioning units, desktop computers, and lights. As a specialty, radiology is heavily reliant on technology and as a consequence, we sought to evaluate both the financial and environmental impact.
Efforts to reduce energy consumption have already been made in the field of surgery, where changes to heating and ventilation systems have produced both financial and environmental savings . We sought to perform an “energy audit” of our department to identify where savings could be made. We reaudited the energy use 18 months after an educational session within the department.
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Materials and methods
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Results
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Table 1
Computers Left on Overnight
PACS Workstations Left on Overnight Desktop Computers Left on Overnight Initial Audit Reaudit 18 Months Later Initial Audit Reaudit 18 Months Later 25/27 27/28 29/43 28/45
One extra picture archiving and communications system (PACS) workstation and two extra desktop computers 18 months later.
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Discussion
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Table 2
Potential Energy and Financial Savings
Steps Taken Energy Saved Financial Savings Turn off desktop computers at night and weekends 25,040 kWh $2504 Turn off PACS reporting stations at night and weekends 47,490 kWh $4749 Turn off conferencing equipment at night and weekends 6677 kWh $667 Turn off air-conditioning units in conference rooms 37,097 kWh $3709 Total savings 116,304 kWh $11,629
PACS, picture archiving and communications system; kWh, kilowatt hour. Calculations based on average cost of 1 kW energy in the United States in 2013, $0.10.
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Conclusions
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References
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