If newer hospitals follow several best practices for energy usage, they could reduce energy consumption by an average of 62 percent while raising its operating margin by 25 to 33 percent, according to a study from several energy, engineering and architectural groups.
The groups involved with the study were the Integrated Design Lab, which is part of the University of Washington's department of architecture, BetterBricks, design firm NBBJ, energy consulting firm SOLARC and TBD Consultants. Together, they looked at hospitals in six populous regions. They found several ways hospitals can cut energy costs through design solutions, which they said result in a better environment and a "significantly better bottom line."
• Daylighting and solar control with high-quality "envelope construction" to reduce energy loads.
• Decoupled systems that use 100 percent outside air and radiant heating and cooling systems.
• Room vacancy control systems to reduce energy in unoccupied spaces.
• Central plant systems sized for smaller annual loads.
• Integrated design that closely coordinates the design team and technical solutions.
• Education of facility owners, operators and staff to establish a culture of resource conservation.
The average energy savings for one of their studied hospitals was $570,000, with return on investments ranging from 17 percent to 51 percent.
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