Reducing Electricity Consumption in Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities

How To Reduce Energy Consumption in Hospitals

The fact that hospitals consume a lot of electricity isn’t surprising — they’re open 24/7 and are often larger than most other buildings. Plus, they’re full of expensive medical equipment, which requires a lot of electricity to function. Most healthcare facilities that run nonstop use a significant amount of electricity. While the use of all this electricity is necessary, there are ways to reduce hospital electricity consumption without sacrificing patient care. It’s part of a preventive maintenance plan that keeps your building running smoothly.

Table of Contents

• What Do Hospitals Use Electricity For?
• Tips for Reducing Energy Use In Hospitals

What Do Hospitals Use Electricity For?

Hospital electricity usage can vary, but there are certain things that all hospitals and health care facilities require to adequately function. The people who work at and use the various facilities in hospitals increase the overall electricity consumption — which, in turn, ends up increasing the hospital electricity bill as well.

Some of the most common uses of electricity in health care facilities include:

• Lights: Light is essential in any health care setting, and a larger facility will inevitably have more lighting.
• Air conditioning: Ensuring patients, visitors and employees are comfortable during hot weather is crucial to maintaining a welcoming environment.
• Heat: Heat is also essential for maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature.
• Laundry: With endless amounts of bedding requiring regular and vigorous washing every day, a hospital’s laundry room is one of the places where a lot of energy is consumed.
• Electronics: Computers, PA systems and microwaves are just some of the commonly used electronics in any health care facility.
• Medical equipment: From large equipment, such as MRI and CT scanners, to smaller ones, like nebulizers, medical equipment is in abundance in health care facilities and relies on electricity to function properly and when needed most.
• Refrigeration: Refrigeration is used in hospitals for storing perishable food, lab samples and cadavers, among other things.
• Food preparation: To feed patients, visitors and staff, hospital kitchens are used to provide several meals every single day — and ovens, stoves, microwaves and other kitchen appliances all run on electricity.
• Ventilation: An often forgotten but crucial part of ay building is ventilation. How that’s done can make the difference between consuming a lot of and very little electricity.

Tips for Energy Conservation in Healthcare

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2007, large hospitals in the U.S. consumed about 194 trillion Btu of electricity. Of the buildings surveyed, all were equipped with air conditioning, and 92% used electricity to power the facility’s AC system. In 95% of all the buildings surveyed, cooking used mostly electricity and natural gas. Despite the high consumption rates, these buildings were well equipped when it came to reducing commercial energy costs — they all had energy-management plans in place.

Reducing hospital electricity consumption doesn’t need to be a mammoth chore. Here are some ways to reduce the amount of electricity your health care facility uses:

• Switch to energy-efficient lighting: One way to make a hospital’s lighting more energy efficient is by swapping out the bulbs for more energy-efficient ones. However, upgrading your lighting system as a whole to be energy-efficient is a far better long-term investment for your facility and the environment. This is especially beneficial in areas of a hospital that require nonstop lighting, such as the emergency room, main reception and hallways.
• Shut down electronics when not in use: Computers, lamps and other small electronics likely won’t be needed 24/7 — at least not every single one in the building. Shutting down or even putting on standby any electronics that aren’t in use and won’t be used for a lengthy amount of time is a simple and efficient way to reduce electricity consumption.
• Utilize automated settings: One way to reduce energy consumption is to use automated settings to reduce heating or cooling in unoccupied spaces. Setting the thermostat to switch off at the end of the business day is one option that doesn’t add another responsibility to your already-busy staff’s plate.
• Go green when possible: Renewable sources of energy are becoming more and more prevalent, and large health care facilities are some of the ideal candidates for them. Adding components to the building that utilize energy from the sun, wind or water provides an alternate source of energy while reducing your carbon footprint.
• Install occupancy sensors: Certain areas of a health care facility will be used regularly but not consistently. Bathrooms are an excellent example — installing occupancy sensors in these rooms can help reduce your building’s overall energy bill. With lights that turn on when a human being is sensed, you reduce the chances of lights being on in an empty bathroom for hours. With motion sensors on sinks, you reduce the amount of water wasted. 
• Explore alternative laundry options: While laundry is a necessity in any health care facility, the methods of laundering can always be upgraded. Even something as simple as switching to wash with cold water instead of hot water can be extremely effective. Discovering ways in which to recycle the water and heat from laundry services is also a good cost-saving option.
• Consider cogeneration systems: Reusing and recycling energy is a lesser-known but very effective way to reduce your facility’s overall electricity bill. Incorporating ways to reuse heat, such as that from an incinerator, for other parts of the hospital prevents the facility from having to consume more electricity.
• Turn off lights when not in use: Similar to automated temperature controls, setting timers or installing occupancy sensors for lighting in areas with moderate traffic is a great option. 
• Promote HVAC optimization: Regular maintenance of your HVAC system can make a difference in the cost of your energy bill. With regular maintenance and necessary upgrades, you can ensure the ventilation and airflow is at its best working order, which also means it’s at its most energy-efficient. Retrofitting existing HVAC systems is also an option and can be completed by a trained professional.

Reduce Your Facility’s Electricity Consumption Today

At Lippolis Electric, we pride ourselves on delivering a wide range of electrical services from reputable, frequently trained technicians. Our clients are our priority, which is why we offer competitive pricing, prompt responses and quick turnaround times. No job is too big or too small for us, whether it’s a generator installation, outdoor lighting for residences or LED lighting installation, we’re dedicated to providing you the quick, reliable and courteous service you deserve.

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