Gundersen Health System, a network of hospitals, medical clinics, and nursing homes in Wisconsin, announced that it is producing more energy than it consumes, making it the first net-zero energy health system in the U.S.
Gundersen is using biogas from three local farms, methane from a local landfill, wood chips from local suppliers, solar panels installed on a parking lot, geothermal systems, and wind from two local projects. Energy consumption has been reduced by 40%, saving $2 million a year. The network also earns $2 million by selling surplus electricity and manure byproducts of biogas production.
"We did not set out to be the greenest health system, we set out to make the air better for our patients to breathe, control our rising energy costs, and help our local economy,” according to CEO Jeff Thompson. The accomplishment is particularly noteworthy given the industry and the climate, Thompson says.
He notes that hospitals typically consume 2.5 times more energy than commercial buildings, and Wisconsin’s harsh winters make it one of the most energy-intensive climates in the nation. Gundersen has also made great strides in waste reduction. Hazardous and pharmaceutical waste has been reduced by 40%, food waste by 70%, and styrofoam waste has been eliminated.
(http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/26068)
Related Stories
| Mar 15, 2012
ANSI approves new fall protection standards
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved two American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) standards addressing fall protection.
| Mar 8, 2012
Engineering innovation provides new option for meeting seismic codes in skyscrapers
Two University of Toronto engineers have developed “viscoelastic-energy-dissipating dampers” to replace many of the heavy concrete beams used in tall structures.
| Mar 8, 2012
CSI webinar on building code compliance March 22
A March 22 webinar will provide an overview of a 28-step process during the design of a building to ensure compliance with building codes.
| Mar 8, 2012
Federal silica dust rule caught in bureaucratic limbo
A federal rule meant to protect the lungs of workers has been caught in bureaucratic purgatory for more than a year.
| Mar 8, 2012
New LEED-EBOM rating has requirements for specific project types
Several key changes are proposed for the LEED-EBOM Rating System in 2012.
| Mar 8, 2012
Green buildings more resilient than conventionally built structures
A new study by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning suggests that structures built to green standards can advance building resiliency.
| Mar 1, 2012
LEED Platinum standard likely to mean net-zero energy by 2018
As LEED standards continue to rise, the top level, LEED Platinum, will likely mean net-zero energy construction by 2018.
| Mar 1, 2012
EPA beefs up stormwater discharge rule from construction projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now finalized its 2012 construction general permit (CGP) that authorizes stormwater discharges from construction projects that disturb one or more acres of land in the areas where EPA is the permitting authority.