Our “TEN Cents”: Energy Efficiency for Healthcare Facilities

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A top priority for healthcare facilities is always a patient's comfort. But not only does an over-lit/under-lit or hot/cold building impact a patient's comfort, it can also impact energy savings in a big way. 

Editor's note: This article was written by The Efficiency Network. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (with regional offices throughout the Northeast), The Efficiency Network (TEN) team has collectively performed over $500,000,000 worth of energy efficiency projects across every business sector.

When it comes to lighting in hospitals, new energy efficient lighting technology will not only add tremendous amounts of savings, but a properly designed system makes for a comfortable environment as well.  Whereas a well-lit cool light is needed in operating rooms, you’ll find much warmer, dimmable lighting set-ups in labor & delivery rooms.

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Another point to consider is hospitals operate 365 days a year, 7 days a week and 24 hours a day, which means they continuously consume electricity, natural gas, and water. Common areas, cafeterias, kitchens, and laundry rooms are all areas in a hospital that typically yield large savings, especially in regards to water.  One leaking toilet can waste more than 50 gallons of water per day.  Furthermore, a dripping faucet can waste as much as 1000 gallons per week.  Identifying key metrics, such as average daily number of people and consumption history, provides a benchmark to determine how great the opportunity for water savings truly may be.

Water consumption is also tied directly to a hospital’s heating, ventilating and air conditional (HVAC) system.  Consuming less hot water reduces the need to heat water in boilers.  Reducing the cooling load on a system with a cooling tower decreases the need for heat rejection.  

The tips mentioned can potentially provide significant energy savings to a hospital, comfort to patients and more efficient use of energy, water, and corresponding systems. For more helpful information, download our eGuide: Smart Energy Strategies for Healthcare Facilities.

TEN has developed a proven way to help clients of all shapes and sizes make sense of energy efficiency. Visit www.tensaves.com for more information and follow them on Twitter @tensaves.
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