Creating healthier patient environments by reducing health care facilities’ energy use

The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that health care organizations spend more than $8.5 billion on energy each year, equivalent to $9,000 per hospital bed – a number that rises annually to meet patients’ needs. Facing constrained budgets, health care administrators often must choose between deferring facility improvements and basic maintenance or cutting investments in technology and staff. By implementing energy-efficiency measures, health care facilities can save money, help prevent greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and support their commitment to public health.

Energy management adds value to the bottom line, while reducing energy-intensive health care facilities’ exposure to energy price hikes. In fact, ENERGY STAR estimates that every dollar of energy savings at non-profit healthcare organizations benefits profit margins equivalent to a revenue increase of $20 for hospitals and $10 for medical offices. For-profit medical facilities can raise their earnings per share a penny by reducing energy costs just 5-percent.

OpTerra has a proven track record of designing and implementing comprehensive solutions that reduce the energy-intensity of health care facilities. We identify current energy-related expenses, design solutions that reduce those expenses, and show health care administrators and facility managers how to use the achieved savings to finance the investment. We are sensitive to the mission-critical, 24×7 patient services provided by hospitals, as well as the constrained operating budgets faced by both private and public healthcare facility managers. Our experienced engineering team reviews projects holistically and develops information that facility managers can use to support investment decisions including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, onsite energy generation, and increased comfort levels for patients and staff.

To help our health care customers achieve the best possible return on their energy projects, we identify and secure a range of project financing structures and investment incentives that require low or no upfront capital, including:

• Bank loans
• Tax-exempt bonds and leases
• Utility incentives and on-bill loans
• Federal, state and local investment incentives and grants
• Power purchase agreements