Owensboro Health Earns ENERGY STAR Certification; Outperforms Similar U.S. Buildings

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and the Pleasant Valley Medical Office Building have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy performance. This is the third year that Owensboro Health Regional Hospital has earned the ENERGY STAR, reflecting a legacy of continued energy savings and an exciting first for the Pleasant Valley Medical Office Building.

ENERGY STAR-certified buildings and plants are verified to perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide, based on weather-normalized source energy use that considers occupancy, hours of operation, and other vital metrics. ENERGY STAR is the only energy efficiency certification in the United States based on actual, verified energy performance.

“We’re honored to earn the ENERGY STAR for superior energy performance at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and the Medical Office Building. We appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in their efficient operation,” said Mark Marsh, Owensboro Health President and CEO. “Saving energy is just one of the ways we show our community we care and that we’re committed to doing our part to protect the environment and public health, both today and for future generations.”

Marsh credits today’s success to initiatives that started with the hospital’s Engineering and Maintenance team several years ago.

Owensboro Health’s energy efficiency efforts began in 2016 when the system partnered with Trane, a Louisville-based energy engineering and consulting company. Trane’s analytics and monitoring tools helped Owensboro Health target areas where the organization could improve energy efficiency. Some of the efforts that have resulted in significant energy consumption reductions include:

• Switching to light-emitting diode (LED) lights: LEDs can have double the lifespan of fluorescent lights and an annual operating cost that is one-third lower.
• Motion sensors: Tying lights to motion sensors at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital reduces unnecessary usage when rooms are empty.
• “Set-back” systems: These systems power down room lighting and HVAC during low-usage hours. The operating rooms (as well as other areas) at OHRH use set-back settings but can return to regular operation within three minutes.
• Real-time monitoring: If equipment malfunctions, Trane can contact the Facilities department within minutes, helping speed up repairs.
• The engagement of facilities staff and leadership played an integral role in maintaining ENERGY STAR certification. The continuous improvement mindset brought grassroots ideas and proactive measures to reduce energy consumption.
• Using building data and analytics, Owensboro Health and Trane were able to identify operational inefficiencies and develop engineered solutions to optimize systems.

The results have exceeded goals and expectations. Since the efforts began, the team has become fully engaged, key performance metrics have been exceeded, and substantial strides toward energy efficiency, carbon reductions, cost-cutting improvements and an enhanced, more comfortable, physical environment have been made. With these steps, the hospital has saved $3,704,780 in utility expenditures since 2014 and has applied those funds to patient care services and initiatives.

On average, ENERGY STAR-certified buildings and plants use 35 percent less energy, cause 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and are less expensive to operate than their peers—all without sacrifices in performance or comfort.

To date, tens of thousands of buildings and plants across all fifty states have earned the ENERGY STAR. Owensboro Health is one of only seven Kentucky hospitals to earn the honor this year.