Clark Reed, Environmental Protection Agency
We had a chance to interview Clark at the Healthcare Facilities Summit in Boca Raton, Florida.
Thanks to HFS for letting us attend and to everyone who sat down with us.
I had a chance to talk to Clark Reed, Director, Healthcare Facilities Division for Energy Star, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the Healthcare Facilities Summit in Boca Raton Florida.
Energy Star was created in 1992. It’s mission is to help individuals and businesses protect the environment by increasing their energy efficiency.
Energy Star identifies the energy efficiency leaders in an industry, discerns what their best practices are, and helps disseminate those best practices throughout the industry.
While Energy Star has no regulatory authority, it has seen increased participation in the program through the use of simple carrots such as use of the Energy Star logo as a form of recognition for those organizations that meet or exceed expectations. Energy Star works with partners to understand what technology and operational and maintenance practices they use to decrease energy consumption
Energy Star has a ratings system that goes from 1 to 100. Participating companies start by doing a self assessment to determine where they fit on the scale. 50 is considered the average. Once a company determines where it falls on the scale, it can develop a game plan for where it wants to be and how to get there through projects such as capital upgrades.
Energy Star is comprised of three divisions. The first is product related (TVs, VCRs, Refrigerators, electronic equipment, etc). On this front, Energy Star works with manufacturers to set voluntary energy efficiency thresholds. Companies that meet these thresholds get to put the cyan blue Energy Star logo, the symbol of energy efficiency, on their products.
The second division is focused on homes. An individual can ask their home builder to build an Energy Star certified home, which uses 30% less energy than a typical home.
The third division within Energy Star works with the commercial and industrial sectors of the economy. The goal is to promote whole building energy efficiency. Energy Star provides tools and resources to identify energy waste within the facility, make financial business cases to upgrade and promote energy efficiency, and offers recognition for leading companies around the country.
70 hospitals nationwide have earned the Energy Star label.
Energy efficiency investments are becoming more and more cost effective. The return on investment is one of the safest returns any organization can expect. Traditionally, energy has accounted for around 2% of a healthcare facilities operating costs. That has been increasing over the past few years in an industry that typically earns slim profit margins to begin with. Money that used to go towards utilities can now be re-invested to provide better patient care.
Energy efficient investments are a strategic hedge against energy price volatility in the market and help organizations reduce their carbon emissions, a goal that is gaining momentum within all industries.
Michelle Maher is an Associate Producer at ScribeMedia.Org. She has a particular fondness for penguins.
We seriously need to get on with the business of becoming energy independent. While we are doing the happy dance around the pumps with the lower prices OPEC is planning yet more production cuts and will not quit until they achieve their desired price per barrel. The record high prices this past year have done serious damage to our economy and society. WE must move forward with energy independence. We have the knowledge, we have the technology, what America lacks is a plan. Jeff Wilson has a new book out that is beyond awesome. The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW. He walks you through every aspect of oil, what it is used for besides gas, our depletion of it. The worlds increased need ie 3rd world countries becoming more modernized and consuming more. He explains EVERY alternative energy source and what role they can play to replace oil. His research is backed up with hard data and even includes a time frame and proposed legislative agendas to wean America off oil. http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com