Efficient Initiatives was invited to speak at a recent Aged Care conference in Adelaide, Australia, regarding the impact of climate change on aged care facilities, residents and staff – and what should be done about this.
Our presentation – to approximately 120 representatives of LASA – was very well received and has resulted in immediate follow up work with aged care facilities.
Highlights of the presentation included:
- Increasing extreme weather events combined with increasing resident and family expectations – for example expectations of air conditioning – as well as energy cost rises, are leading to strain on residents, staff and budgets
- There are a number of technological part solutions to this problem – which may look simple on the surface but which can be pretty confusing to managers more used to dealing with complexity of aged care clients than with insulation and solar PV.
- A strategic approach to energy efficiency and generation
- A case study on a large Victorian facility
- The “perfect storm” can be more of an opportunity than a problem.