OBJECTIVES: Health Economics evaluations are typically applied to medications or surgery costs, but this unique study has investigated the economic benefits of discrete deployment of antimicrobial copper alloy touch surfaces in ICUs. Copper/copper alloy surfaces have been shown to act as an adjunct to standard infection control practices in diverse clinical settings, continuously reducing contamination by over 90%.  A study by Salgado in 2013 investigated the use of copper surfaces in ICUs and reported a 58% reduction in hospital acquired infections. This study investigates the cost-effectiveness of this intervention. METHODS: Following an extensive literature review and use of expert opinion a number of factors have been considered in this evaluation.  These are the component costs of the items used in the ICU, the cost of and extra day in bed due to an infection, baseline infection rates and risk reduction of copper items.  The model is based on a single room configuration in an intensive care unit with 20 beds in the UK using 6 critical items - bed rails, overbed tray table, chair, call button, data device and IV pole. The model has been created to show the economic impact of an environmental intervention. RESULTS: The model predicts the cost of replacing key, frequently-touched surfaces in a 20-bed UK ICU with copper equivalents will be recouped in less than two months.  Over 5 years there were 325 fewer infections in the copper arm at a cost per QALY of £262.84. CONCLUSIONS: The investigation allowed the derivation of a spreadsheet-based model that uses the best current published information and shows the rapid ROI of a copper intervention.  It also calculates the impact on bed days and quality-adjusted life years (QALY).  The model is simple, transparent to those with knowledge of spreadsheets, and allows adaptation to specific local settings.