By Healthcare Facilities Today

The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care and strategic partner, the Ontario Chapter of the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society, together with technical partner, ICF Marbek,have launched a new energy conservation initiative, according to an article on the Exchange Magazine website.

Over the past five months, the project team consulted extensively with health care stakeholders and energy management colleagues across Ontario to create the HealthCare Energy Leaders Ontario (HELO) initiative.

“The opportunity for conservation and demand management within the hospital sector is vast and we feel that our goal is in perfect alignment with the OPA’s: to have health care facilities realize energy savings as soon as possible, and assist in inciting a change in business culture from one of consumption to that of conservation and demand management,” coalition executive director Linda Varangu said.

Research suggests Ontario hospitals have the potential to reduce electricity consumption by approximately eight percent with higher savings achievable for natural gas, the article said.

Under the HELO initiative, health care facilities operating in Ontario, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community health centers are eligible for different types of service. However, hospitals already receiving funding for an embedded energy manager through their local electric utility are ineligible, as are municipally funded long-term care homes since they are served by other electricity-saving programs available in Ontario, according to the article.

All participants have access to "Basic Support" which includes guidance on accessing electric utility incentives, project implementation advice, educational webinars and e-newsletters, as well as access to online tools and resources, the article said. Those sites qualifying for "Custom Support" are eligible to receive assistance identifying energy efficiency opportunities, support developing the business case for projects, and help with implementation. Depending on participant needs, specific services may include a free walk-through audit, assistance with utility data analysis and energy performance benchmarking or support accessing incentives and funding.

Read the article.