Published on November 13, 2024
Owensboro Health Earns a Fifth Energy Star® Rating and Saves $4.5M Through Energy Efficiency
Owensboro Health Regional Hospital has earned its fifth Energy Star certification, outperforming similar U.S. buildings regarding energy efficiency.
Participating healthcare facilities strive to obtain the Energy Star recognition threshold of 75 or higher, with Owensboro Health Regional Hospital at 77. This means its Energy Use Index (EUI) is better than 77% of hospitals in the country. Only two other hospitals in Kentucky have been Energy Star recipients longer than Owensboro Health.
The journey to earning an Energy Star rating, a program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has been a collaborative team effort. When work began in 2014 to improve its energy efficiency, Owensboro Health partnered with Trane energy specialists out of Louisville to find ways to save energy and reduce consumption, with every visitor and team member doing their part.
“Since 2014, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital has decreased energy consumption by 26.6%, which has led to a savings of $4,599,183,” said Joe Taylor, Executive Director of Facilities.
The Pleasant Valley Medical Office Building has also earned Energy Star certifications for 2022, 2023 and 2024.
“Continuous energy efficiency improvements across the system, other hospitals, medical office buildings and Healthplexes are being made,” said Austin Terry, HVAC Mechanic. “We’re in the process of installing solar panels at the Henderson Healthplex,” said Terry.
Once the solar technology installation is complete, the Henderson Healthplex facility can apply for Energy Star certification. Owensboro Health team members HVAC mechanics John Jones, Austin Terry, Tyler Embry and Eddie Mattingly have each played significant roles in getting the system to where it is today.
Energy Star’s recognition strengthens trust among our patients, team members, and the communities we serve by reinforcing confidence in choosing an organization that prioritizes health and sustainable practices while delivering exceptional care.
About Owensboro Health
Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 350 providers at more than 30 locations; three outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, the Healthpark; a weight management program, and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center.
On average each year, we have more than 19,000 inpatient admissions, deliver 2,000 babies and provide the region’s only Level III NICU. Owensboro Health physicians perform nearly 33,000 surgical procedures, including nearly 150 open-heart surgeries. Our physicians and staff have 90,000 Emergency Department visits and more than 1.25 million outpatient visits annually. Visit our home page for more information.