Hospitals are second only to food service buildings for energy use per square foot in the commercial sector, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The good news is the potential for substantial utility bill savings with a comprehensive energy efficiency retrofit, according to an article on the Green Tech Media website.
In New Jersey, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) operates an energy efficiency programs dedicated to hospitals. The $199 million Hospital Efficiency Program has funded 50 energy efficiency projects at three dozen hospitals across the state.
For participating hospitals, a major selling point of the program is that upgrades are installed at no upfront cost.
Hospitals are responsible for a cost share, typically 35% to 40% of the overall project cost, according to PSE&G program manager Mike Savage. Payments are made, interest free, over 60 months via the hospital’s monthly utility bill.
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