As hospital leaders look to reduce costs without impacting quality of care, experts suggest they look at their energy use, according to an article on the Crain's Chicago Business website.
One of the first steps hospitals can take is to turn off unneeded lights. Beyond that, facilities can try motion sensors to switch off lights when rooms aren't in use or fans that slow airflow in unoccupied rooms, the article said.
NorthShore University Health System spends roughly $20 million a year on utilities for its four hospitals. It is replacing operating room lights with LED bulbs that don't emit as much heat.
Hospitals can find other ways to save 30 percent of their annual energy costs by implementing guidelines suggested in U.S. Department of Energy's "Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Healthcare Facilities," according to an article on the FierceHealthcare website.
How Retail Design Can Improve the Healthcare Patient Experience
Jefferson Health Breaks Ground on Lehigh Valley Hospital—Coopersburg
Encompass Health Plans Second Small-Format Rehabilitation Hospital
Rethinking How Healthcare Facilities Fund Construction Projects
Winners Named for the 15th Annual Healthcare Design Awards