By Healthcare Facilities Today

The Energy Trust of Oregon rewards Sky Lakes Medical Center for energy-saving improvements over the past year, according to an article on the Herald and News website.

The $199,188 check is a cash incentive to help pay for energy-efficiency projects such as, replacing pneumatic thermostats with digital controls in main portions of the original medical center building, adding new cooling towers that are larger and more efficient, and installing high-efficiency pumps and motors in the heating and cooling system, the article said.

The upgrades mean the medical center will reduce its electricity consumption nearly 788,500 kilowatt-hours a year at an estimated savings of $52,300 in its utility bills. The electricity saved offsets nearly 300 tons of carbon dioxide generated by fossil fuels, and is equivalent to taking more than 53 cars off the road, according to the article.

“We’ve noticed that we’ve had a decline not only in our power bill, but in our water bill,” said Sky Lakes facilities director Rick McGuffey in the article.

Earlier this year, Sky Lakes also completed a facility-wide lighting upgrade that is estimated to save more than 637,500 kilowatt-hours annually, translating to a savings of roughly $42,300 a year on utility bills. Energy Trust provided $135,185 in cash incentives for those lighting upgrades, the article said.

The Energy Trust incentives are funded through a joint program between Pacific Power and the non-profit to offer cash to upgrade lighting, heating and cooling systems and other equipment to make businesses more energy efficient.

Read the article.