Roy Haller
by Roy Haller
Hospitals, senior care centers and medical offices, operating nonstop to meet patient needs, typically have high energy demand and can experience significant immediate and long-term savings by taking proactive efficiency measures. Sustainability and smart energy management are critical to the success of any business, but healthcare facilities, in particular, have vast opportunity to capitalize on energy-efficiency improvements.
As an administrator of Energize Connecticut programs, The United Illuminating Company (UI) works closely with healthcare organizations to identify specific cost-saving energy upgrades and technical solutions to fit their unique business model. By developing custom sustainability plans, UI helps companies to improve how they perform financially and environmentally to attain long lasting energy savings. UI also assists healthcare organizations in securing financial rebates, incentives or low interest financing through the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund.
“As round-the-clock businesses, healthcare facilities are the perfect candidate for sustainable energy management programs that can help achieve bottom-line savings, ” said Roy W. Haller, UI director of commercial and industrial energy service programs. “By taking advantage of the various Energize Connecticut programs, hospitals and medical centers are able to implement energy-efficient measures, achieve their conservation goals, and provide optimal patient care and comfort.”
Healthcare organizations statewide are leaders on the efficiency front, often calling upon UI at the initial planning stages to effectively integrate sustainability practices throughout a project. Well-known Connecticut healthcare facilities Yale New Haven Healthcare, Bridgeport Hospital, Griffin Hospital and Mary Wade Home, Inc. all recently participated in Energize Connecticut programs. In each case, UI advisors provided direction on how the facilities could improve their equipment, conserve energy and ultimately save money.
The United Illuminating Company supported a comprehensive energy project with Bridgeport Hospital, a top employer in the city. Participating in the Energy Opportunities and Operations & Maintenance Service programs, the hospital was able to repair and retrofit the current building systems with energy efficient upgrades throughout the facility. New lighting sensors, an energy management system, variable speed drives, and more, resulting in an estimated lifetime energy savings of $5,000,000 for the hospital.
When planning an $11 million expansion of their Adult Day Center and Skilled Nursing Facility, Mary Wade was seeking to maximize efficiencies on the investment. By utilizing the state’s Energy Conscious Blueprint program, project managers were able to rely on the guidance of UI experts throughout each stage of the planning and renovation. Among efficiency measures implements, Mary Wade installed energy-saving fluorescent lighting across the facility. An energy-efficient chiller unit and a new condensed boiler and variable drives were installed to better control heating and cooling operations.
After completing the project, Mary Wade’s annual energy savings was $29,976, with a lifetime energy savings of $452,387.
Whitney Center of Hamden also took advantage of the Energy Conscious Blueprint program. The continuing care retirement community turned to UI for assistance in expanding the residential and common area in an energy efficient manner. UI offered insight affordable,energy efficient equipment options, including lighting, motors, controls and roof top air conditioners, successfully lowering operating costs.
As an energy authority, UI continues to support healthcare facilities to achieve increased energy efficiency and greener operations through the wide-ranging opportunities available through the Energize Connecticut programs.
Roy Haller is a director at The United Illuminating Company of New Haven, Conn.
As an energy authority, UI continues to support healthcare facilities to achieve increased energy efficiency and greener operations through the wide-ranging opportunities available through the Energize Connecticut programs.
Roy Haller is a director at The United Illuminating Company of New Haven, Conn.
