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Transforming hospital cooling operations

Northside Hospital Forsyth, a 389-bed hospital with 800 physicians and 3,700 employees, operates around the clock, relying on its central plant to ensure stable cooling while balancing rising energy demand and increasing utility costs.

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Meeting growing energy needs without compromise

As a 24/7 healthcare facility, Northside Hospital Forsyth depends on its central plant to provide reliable cooling throughout the hospital. With energy demand remaining high and utility costs continuing to rise, maintaining efficient operations became increasingly challenging.

At the same time, compromising on performance was not an option. Critical healthcare environments require continuous, dependable operation to support patient care, leaving little room for operational flexibility during peak demand periods. To address these challenges, the hospital focused on optimizing how the central plant operates - reducing energy consumption, lowering operating costs, and maintaining reliability without disrupting daily operations.

Hospital with ambulance and healthcare worker, magnified equipment, “24” recycle symbol, snowflake and plug icons.

Reduced energy use and operating costs

Electricity use decreased by 21.6%, generating more than $138,000 in annual utility savings despite rising energy prices.

Improved central plant performance and efficiency

The chilled water system now delivers the required cooling conditions using only two chillers instead of four, significantly improving overall plant efficiency.

Increased reliability and operational resilience

Improved redundancy enables continuous operation and helps maintain stable performance even during equipment outages or unexpected events.

Enhancing performance through system adjustments

Hospital building linked by arrows to HVAC and equipment control panels, with a person holding a tablet below.

To meet rising energy demand and improve performance, Northside Hospital Forsyth evaluated how its central plants were operating. Rather than replacing equipment, the hospital focused on maximizing the performance of the existing infrastructure by improving how chilled water is generated and distributed.

Key improvements included:

  • Implementation of Demand Flow across both central plants
  • Installation of variable frequency drives (VFDs) on pumps
  • Integration of flow, pressure, temperature, and power sensors
  • Improved interoperability between plants

Instead of operating at fixed conditions, the upgraded system continuously adjusts operation based on real-time demand. This dynamic approach enables the hospital to meet cooling requirements more efficiently while maintaining stable conditions throughout the facility—with no disruption to hospital operations during implementation.

If a chiller were to go down, it would be seamless for us to maintain our operations due to the benefits gained from this project. Floods, fire, major equipment issues – these could all be devastating for a hospital. That’s why having N+1 capacity for your critical plant equipment is a goal for many healthcare organizations. We’ve now effectively added chiller capacity through the improvements enabled by Demand Flow.
Thomas W. Doenitz, System Director of Facilities Operations, Northside Hospital

Delivering long-term value and future-readiness 

Beyond operational improvements, the project delivered significant financial value. Savings exceeded projections by 6.5%, while utility incentives surpassed initial expectations. A short payback period and independent third-party validation provided confidence in the solution before implementation.

Today, the central plant continues to deliver consistent savings under changing conditions. As energy costs rise and demand grows, the improvements provide sustained efficiency gains beyond the initial project scope. With continued facility expansion, the ability to manage higher demand within the existing infrastructure supports stable and efficient operation going forward.

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