Health Care
Hospitals are big consumers of electricity and natural gas. Focusing on electronics, HVAC and more, DTE offers incentives and tips to help health care facilities always have the energy to provide the best care possible.
Health Care—Typical Energy Usage
Energy Tips for Health Care Facilities
Appliances
Turn off Faucets
Encourage your staff to shut off faucets and report any leaks immediately. Replace dripping faucets to further reduce costs.
Use ENERGY STAR®-Certified Products
Look for ENERGY STAR®–certified commercial food service equipment when making new purchases.
Lower Temperatures for Laundry
The common practice of laundering in water at 160 degrees Fahrenheit is outdated. Modern detergents and bleaches allow hospital laundry to be safely and effectively washed in water at 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
HVAC
Install Occupancy Sensors
Many operating rooms have air-handling units that draw 100 percent of their supply from outside air, which needs to be heated or cooled depending on the season. Install occupancy sensors or manual switches that reduce the operating speed of the supply and exhaust fans when the rooms are unoccupied.
Change Air Filters Monthly
Filters should be changed monthly. If your facility is located next to a source of dirty air, such as a highway or construction site, filters should be changed more frequently.
Install Room Programmable Thermostats
Not all rooms in a hospital are occupied 24 hours a day. Rooms should have programmable thermostats that turn temperatures up in the cooling season and down in the heating season during hours of no occupancy.
Maintain Rooftop A/C Units
On a quarterly basis, do a maintenance check on your rooftop air-conditioning unit. Make sure the panels are fully attached with all screws in place, and also check to see that gaskets are intact so no air leaks out of the cabinet. If chilled air leaks out, it can cost $100 per year in wasted energy per rooftop unit. In addition, check condenser coils quarterly for debris, natural or otherwise, that can collect there. Thoroughly wash the coils at the beginning and end of the cooling season.
Hospitals Total Energy Use
Lighting, heating and hot water represent about 72 percent of a typical hospital’s total energy use, making those systems the best targets for energy savings.
Lighting
Install Occupancy Sensors
Hospitals and large health care centers have many rooms that are used periodically, such as restrooms, storage rooms, break rooms and offices. For work areas, a combination of occupancy sensors, time switches and personal dimming controls can accommodate people who arrive early or stay late.
Source: Business Energy Advisor