Protects climate & budget

Residential care homes save 300,000 euros on lighting

City councillors Peter Hacker (left) and Jürgen Czernohorszky help to replace the lamps.

(Bild: Stadt Wien/Martin VOTAVA)

2800 Viennese live in the ten care facilities of the Vienna Healthcare Association. A technical conversion saves costs and as much carbon dioxide as 500 cars blow into the air every year. 

This is being achieved by replacing the neon tubes, some of which are 14 years old, with LED lamps. "We have checked where in the buildings an LED conversion makes technical and financial sense. In particular, all publicly accessible areas where light has to be on all the time from dusk onwards have been identified - i.e. corridors, lounges, the lobby, etc.," explains Johannes Nadlinger, Director of the Nursing Homes sub-enterprise (PWH) of the Vienna Healthcare Association.

The main parts of the conversion have been completed. The residents have no disadvantages as a result, but the measure brings advantages in terms of costs and climate protection. 

Annual savings of 300,000 euros
"The annual savings potential at current electricity prices is around 300,000 euros. As a public healthcare provider, we are once again demonstrating that we can combine top medical and nursing care with cost control," says City Councillor for Health Peter Hacker.

750 tons less CO2 emissions
The significantly longer service life of the LED lamps compared to neon tubes is also very beneficial in terms of environmental protection. 

"This technical changeover is also hugely important for the city's efforts to combat climate change. With this initiative, the care homes save around 750 tons of CO2 emissions per year - that's as much as 500 cars emit on average per year," says Climate Councillor Jürgen Czernohorszky.

LEDs in rooms and PV systems 
The possibility of switching to LEDs in rooms ahead of time - and not just in the event of a failure - is being examined. The installation of further photovoltaic systems on the roofs of the buildings is also being investigated. Three PV systems are currently in operation: Baumgarten Nursing Home, Liesing Nursing Home and Floridsdorf Clinic.