Healthcare: Downgrade diesel for smart, sustainable energy investments.
Healthcare: Downgrade diesel for smart, sustainable energy investments.
Healthcare is one of the many industries that have benefited from building electrification. Thanks to technological advancements, everything from communication to critical care is now easier and faster. File cabinets stand empty as patient records and other valuable documents are digitized and transmitted online. With the flip of a switch, respirators and other acute care medical equipment provide life-giving support to patients.
However, the increased frequency of extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires have exposed the price of our increased dependence on electricity. For many industries, blackouts mean high costs and operational delays. But without reliable, consistent power, healthcare facilities must contend with the greater, incalculable cost of human lives.
Weighed down by energy costs? You’re not alone.
It’s no secret that energy demand in the healthcare industry is extremely high. In fact, inpatient healthcare is the fourth largest commercial energy consumer in the country. What’s more, the industry’s building energy intensity - that is, the energy consumed per square foot - is more than 2.5 times higher than that of other commercial buildings. Another way to think of it: While healthcare buildings make up less than 5% of the commercial sector footprint, they make up more than 10% of commercial energy consumption!
In addition to providing reliable quality patient care, healthcare leaders prioritize maintaining low operational and other costs. But with such high energy consumption, this is nearly impossible. Electricity costs make up 69% of total inpatient expenditures and 85% of outpatient expenditures, and each year, healthcare facilities spend more than $8 billion on energy costs. The number of healthcare facilities has also increased to meet the needs of the growing population - roughly 22% between 2003 and 2019 alone - which means that the need for energy efficiency and consumption reduction measures will continue to become even more vital.
It’s time to downgrade diesel.
Traditionally, healthcare has relied on diesel generators to provide the essential backup power needed to provide reliable care. But as operational costs and electricity prices continue to rise, it’s important for healthcare leaders to explore new strategies and technologies for energy and operational resilience. Solutions like onsite energy generation, energy efficiency measures, and backup power systems can not only significantly reduce facility management costs, but they can empower healthcare organizations to do what matters most: provide sustainable and reliable patient care for the long term.
5 smart and sustainable energy investments.
The good news is that there are a growing number of options for energy reduction and energy efficiency that can not only reduce operational costs, but also ensure continued reliability and resilience:
Onsite energy generation. Onsite energy generation offers many cost-saving and sustainability benefits. By producing your own energy, your facility consumes less electricity from the grid. This increased energy independence means that your facility is less exposed to rising or fluctuating electricity prices. Depending on your location and utility, you may even earn a new revenue stream by participating in utility demand response or net metering programs.
Energy efficiency. There are a wide range of energy efficiency measures that cut costs and streamline operations by reducing a building’s long-term energy consumption. These can range from simple LED lighting retrofits to variable frequency drives or other high efficiency equipment replacements.
Smart systems and controls. “Smart” devices and systems can gather data, communicate with other systems, and automate processes to reduce energy consumption. For example, smart thermostats and lighting timers can be used to reduce HVAC and turn off lighting in unused rooms
Energy management software. Energy management software enables healthcare facilities to monitor and sometimes even control different systems within the building envelope. This enables facility managers to coordinate and optimize operations to maximize savings and track progress toward goals.
Holistic energy solutions that maximize savings.
The process of investing in new energy savings opportunities can feel daunting. The sheer number of technology options can make it difficult to know where to start.
The first and most important step is to gather data about your facility’s building systems in order to benchmark your current and historical energy consumption and identify underperforming buildings or equipment. This may involve complex data collection and analysis, so many organizations work with external partners like Promise Energy to do it right.
Promise Energy specializes in finding holistic energy solutions for the entire building envelope. Our energy experts can help you identify a comprehensive portfolio of energy resilience, sustainability, and power generation opportunities that works in harmony with your organization’s goals, operational needs, and budget. Leveraging our experience in the market, we work hand in hand with the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) to ensure compliance with permitting, safety, and other healthcare regulatory requirements. We even incorporate deferred maintenance, asset renewal, and other areas for improvement in your facility.
Reach out to Promise Energy at info@promiseenery.com to learn more about how a holistic energy solution can deliver long-term savings, operational efficiency, and reliable power.
At Promise Energy, we don’t believe that one size fits all. We pride ourselves in designing and installing customized energy solutions that provide the greatest long-term value and energy control for our customers.