Comments on: Hospitals Due for Energy Efficiency Overhaul http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/27/hospitals-due-for-energy-efficiency-overhaul/ Environmental Leader Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:25:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tony Marshallsay http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/27/hospitals-due-for-energy-efficiency-overhaul/comment-page-1/#comment-139999 Tony Marshallsay Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:02:46 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=18643#comment-139999 Once again the misleading energy-saving light bulbs propaganda. The 90% of the energy fed to an incandescent bulb that doesn't produce light IS used - to produce heat that would otherwise have to be generated by boilers or electric heaters. And an incandescent light bulb is near 100% recyclable, with the argon gas filling going back home to the atmosphere. In contrast, a "energy saving" bulb has a much more complicated envelope, which takes much more energy to form, is filled with poisonous mercury vapor and coated internally with poisonous phosphor compounds - i.e. totally non-recyclable and an environmental disaster. Add to that the non-recyclable electronic gubbins in the non-recyclable chunky base, all of which absorbs loads more energy during production than an incandescent and you have the basis of a huge scam that only allows the manufacturers to make much higher margins on the orders of magnitude more complicated and hence much more expensive manufacturing process. When will the world wake up to this? Once again the misleading energy-saving light bulbs propaganda. The 90% of the energy fed to an incandescent bulb that doesn’t produce light IS used – to produce heat that would otherwise have to be generated by boilers or electric heaters. And an incandescent light bulb is near 100% recyclable, with the argon gas filling going back home to the atmosphere. In contrast, a “energy saving” bulb has a much more complicated envelope, which takes much more energy to form, is filled with poisonous mercury vapor and coated internally with poisonous phosphor compounds – i.e. totally non-recyclable and an environmental disaster. Add to that the non-recyclable electronic gubbins in the non-recyclable chunky base, all of which absorbs loads more energy during production than an incandescent and you have the basis of a huge scam that only allows the manufacturers to make much higher margins on the orders of magnitude more complicated and hence much more expensive manufacturing process. When will the world wake up to this?

]]> By: Stan http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/27/hospitals-due-for-energy-efficiency-overhaul/comment-page-1/#comment-139217 Stan Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:14:02 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=18643#comment-139217 You got your cooling towers and your boilers mixed up in your discussion. You probably meant to say you reduced your blowdown/increased your cycles in both systems. You got your cooling towers and your boilers mixed up in your discussion. You probably meant to say you reduced your blowdown/increased your cycles in both systems.

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/27/hospitals-due-for-energy-efficiency-overhaul/comment-page-1/#comment-139044 Jennifer Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:32:39 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=18643#comment-139044 I wanted to commend you on your article addressing energy efficiency in hospitals. I work as the hospital market manager with BetterBricks, the commercial building initiative of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. BetterBricks promotes strategic energy management (SEM) in healthcare facilities and has seen tremendous success in energy reduction – in facilities both large and small. Gunderson Lutheran hospital has set laudable energy goals – this is a key first step in energy management. BetterBricks has also found that a system wide approach to strategic energy management where hospital executives commit staff and resources to achieve these goals is essential. PeaceHealth, for instance, operates seven hospitals throughout the northwest and Alaska – totaling 1,000 beds. The management team decided their hospitals could operate more efficiently if they adopted an overall Strategic Energy Management plan that integrates energy management into every-day business decisions around equipment operations and maintenance, energy efficient purchasing, capital upgrades, and new construction. Initial energy benchmarking and a facility survey revealed opportunities to reduce energy use by 10 percent over three years, representing $800,000 savings a year, system-wide. They are now into their second year implementing the SEM and have already met their first-year three percent reduction goal. A detailed article on PeaceHealth’s commitment to SEM, as well as other resources for reducing energy in hospitals, can be read at the BetterBricks website (http://www.betterbricks.com/healthcare). In addition, BetterBricks is currently involved with research investigating how the European hospital model might influence the way healthcare facilities are operated and designed in the U.S. This information will be available on the BetterBricks website in the coming months, so please check back soon. Truly, Jennifer I wanted to commend you on your article addressing energy efficiency in hospitals. I work as the hospital market manager with BetterBricks, the commercial building initiative of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. BetterBricks promotes strategic energy management (SEM) in healthcare facilities and has seen tremendous success in energy reduction – in facilities both large and small.

Gunderson Lutheran hospital has set laudable energy goals – this is a key first step in energy management. BetterBricks has also found that a system wide approach to strategic energy management where hospital executives commit staff and resources to achieve these goals is essential. PeaceHealth, for instance, operates seven hospitals throughout the northwest and Alaska – totaling 1,000 beds. The management team decided their hospitals could operate more efficiently if they adopted an overall Strategic Energy Management plan that integrates energy management into every-day business decisions around equipment operations and maintenance, energy efficient purchasing, capital upgrades, and new construction. Initial energy benchmarking and a facility survey revealed opportunities to reduce energy use by 10 percent over three years, representing $800,000 savings a year, system-wide. They are now into their second year implementing the SEM and have already met their first-year three percent reduction goal. A detailed article on PeaceHealth’s commitment to SEM, as well as other resources for reducing energy in hospitals, can be read at the BetterBricks website (http://www.betterbricks.com/healthcare).

In addition, BetterBricks is currently involved with research investigating how the European hospital model might influence the way healthcare facilities are operated and designed in the U.S. This information will be available on the BetterBricks website in the coming months, so please check back soon.

Truly,

Jennifer

]]> By: James Lovette-Black PhD, RN http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/27/hospitals-due-for-energy-efficiency-overhaul/comment-page-1/#comment-138981 James Lovette-Black PhD, RN Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:40:40 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=18643#comment-138981 This surprises no one, does it? After working in health care facilities for 34 years, virtually none of them were - or are - environmentally conscious. Unless society demands that governmental regulations are brought into force, the health care industry will continue to focus on only three things: 1) Image, 2) Profit, 3) See 1 & 2. This surprises no one, does it? After working in health care facilities for 34 years, virtually none of them were – or are – environmentally conscious. Unless society demands that governmental regulations are brought into force, the health care industry will continue to focus on only three things: 1) Image, 2) Profit, 3) See 1 & 2.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/27/hospitals-due-for-energy-efficiency-overhaul/comment-page-1/#comment-138931 Patrick Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:39:06 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=18643#comment-138931 David: Chillers are typically oversized for future capacity (additions to the building) as well as safety factor included to cover the design engineers butt. The problem is the chiller will then run in at a part-load. This is typically less efficient than the full load efficiency. If the system is constantly running at part-load, there are efficiencies to be gained... David:
Chillers are typically oversized for future capacity (additions to the building) as well as safety factor included to cover the design engineers butt. The problem is the chiller will then run in at a part-load. This is typically less efficient than the full load efficiency. If the system is constantly running at part-load, there are efficiencies to be gained…

]]> By: David http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/27/hospitals-due-for-energy-efficiency-overhaul/comment-page-1/#comment-138928 David Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:00:17 +0000 http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=18643#comment-138928 I am not sure how much energy you will save by right sizing a chiller. That doesn't make any sense. I am not sure how much energy you will save by right sizing a chiller. That doesn’t make any sense.

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