Hvidovre Hospital Saves Millions with New Heating and Cooling Pumps
There is significant potential in upgrading older heating and cooling systems in large public buildings. With new controlled pumps from Danish company IRON Pump, Hvidovre Hospital can look forward to much more energy efficient operations. In the first year alone, the hospital expects to save up to DKK 1 million in electricity costs.
Last year, Danish Regions launched a strategy aiming to halve the hospitals’ CO₂ emissions by 2035, and all five regions are now working to transition to more climate friendly hospital operations.
One of the places where targeted efforts have been made to reduce electricity and heating consumption is Hvidovre Hospital.
In close collaboration with IRON Pump in Søborg, Copenhagen Engineering, Trium, B. Christiansens Maskinfabrik, and the Capital Region’s Center for Properties, the hospital has just completed a comprehensive upgrade of the heating and cooling systems in the older part of the building complex.
New pump solutions for heating and cooling significantly reduce electricity consumption and this contribute positively to the hospital’s CO₂ balance. The project is expected to save Hvidovre Hospital up to DKK 1 million annually in electricity costs under optimal operation, with a payback period of less than seven years.
From Oversizing to Intelligent Control
From Oversizing to Intelligent Control Historically, it has been common in large public buildings to oversize pump solutions for heating and cooling to ensure capacity. However, this practice burdens both the economy and the climate.
An oversized pump uses more energy than necessary, and today, with much stricter energy consumption requirements in buildings than 20 years ago, there is a much greater focus on choosing tailored, energy efficient pump solutions when building new hospitals and schools.
This also means there are major savings to be made by upgrading pump systems in older buildings, something IRON Pump is highly focused on.
“ We see many public buildings where pumps run more than operations require, wasting unnecessary energy. The greatest potential lies in heat pumps, where proper regulation alone can reduce energy consumption by up to 60% without compromising comfort or operational reliability,” — says Per Gudmand Jensen, Service Manager at IRON Pump.
The initiative to replace the old pumps and optimize building operations came from technician Jens Brian Nielsen at the Capital Region’s Center for Properties.
“ With modern, tailored pumps, we achieve much more efficient operation of our heating and cooling systems than before. There’s a growing focus on reducing the region’s CO₂ footprint, which gives us great opportunities to launch energy projects. It’s a real pleasure to see how quickly ideas can turn into action in this project,” — says Jens Brian Nielsen.
Flow and Pressure Adjusted in Real Time
Flow and Pressure Adjusted in Real Time IRON Pump’s solution for Hvidovre Hospital includes a total of eight new pumps, including main cooling pumps, district heating system pumps, and cooling tower pumps. The technical upgrade includes an improved hydraulic impeller and inlet design, ensuring high efficiency and stable operation.
A key part of the project was IRON Pump’s analysis of operational data from Hvidovre Hospital’s previous pump system.
By reviewing annual consumption, IRON Pump was able to identify the actual need for flow and pressure and design the solution accordingly.
The chosen solution is based on a demand control principle. The pumps automatically adjust their output based on the actual needs of the building. Using frequency converters and sensors, flow and pressure are adjusted in real time, saving electricity, reducing noise, and minimizing wear.
» We see many public buildings where pumps run more than operations require, wasting unnecessary energy. «
Per Gudmand Jensen, Service Manager at IRON Pump
About IRON Pump
IRON Pump is a Danish company that manufactures and supplies a wide range of quality pumps and components worldwide. Our many years of experience and high level of expertise have made us one of the world’s preferred partners for moving water with a focus on efficient and energy conscious products and solutions. We deliver both standard products and custom designed solutions tailored to specific needs in close collaboration with our suppliers and customers.
For further information, contact:
IRON Pump: Helle Auken Lygum, Head of Marketing and Sales Channels, +45 44 91 67 88,
Press Service: Kristina Egeberg Olesen, Public Image, +45 20 10 26 59,
