On the Delta site in Auderghem, the new hospital of the Interregional Hospital Centre Edith Cavell, or CHIREC for short, opened at the beginning of 2019. More than 100,000 square metres in size and built with great attention to energy and sustainability. In addition to geothermal and solar energy, a high-performance cogeneration plant was also installed. In this way, the hospital can produce as much energy as possible itself and minimise its impact on the climate.
The CHP with an electrical capacity of 600 kWe was housed in a separate powerhouse and accounts for 20 to 30 per cent of the hospital’s electricity demand. Luminus Solutions designed and built the entire installation, including all peripheral equipment such as acoustic enclosure, piping, exhaust system, cooling circuits, gas detection and oil storage. In addition to the recovery of high and low temperature heat, the heat of the flue gas can also be recovered thanks to a flue gas condenser on the exhaust. The heat generated is used in its entirety for the central heating of the hospital. In warmer periods, the excess heat is stored in a buffer tank for later use.
The entire installation is monitored and maintained remotely by the Luminus Solutions service team. Thanks to a 24-hour service and a performance contract guaranteeing availability and performance, the hospital is thus given the necessary guarantees for the proper functioning of its installation.
The hospital’s energy installations are also linked to the adjacent project site. The heat that CHIREC does not need itself is supplied from the power house to the Delta-West buildings. This smart district heating network makes energy generation sustainable and creates an economic win-win for hospital and neighbourhood.
