Athens, OH,
12
December
2022
|
20:17 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital Earns ENERGY STAR Certification

OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital in Athens has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy performance.

“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment,” said Cindy Jacobs, chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification.”

ENERGY STAR certified buildings and plants are verified to perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide, based on weather-normalized source energy use that takes into account occupancy, hours of operation, and other key metrics. ENERGY STAR is the only energy efficiency certification in the United States that is based on actual, verified energy performance.

O'Bleness_210423_66“We’re honored to earn the ENERGY STAR for superior energy performance at O’Bleness and appreciate the efforts of everyone who has been involved in its efficient operation,” said LeeAnn Lucas-Helber, president of OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital. “Saving energy is just one of the ways we show our community we care, and that we’re committed to doing our part to protect the environment and public health, both today and for future generations.”

Helber credits this success to the hospital’s Facilities team, who led the work and to the hospital’s associates and providers.

“Everyone played a part in this achievement by turning off lights in empty rooms and requesting occupancy sensors, reporting energy waste, adjusting to temperature changes and many more actions small and large,” said Helber.

O’Bleness’ sustainability win is part of a larger effort by the OhioHealth system to reduce their environmental footprint. In November, OhioHealth was celebrated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference for pledging ongoing action to decarbonize the healthcare sector and make healthcare facilities more resilient to the effects of climate change. OhioHealth has pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve zero emissions by 2050.

On average, ENERGY STAR certified buildings and plants use 35 percent less energy, cause 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and are less expensive to operate than their peers—all without sacrifices in performance or comfort.

To date, tens of thousands of buildings and plants across all fifty states have earned the ENERGY STAR. For more information about ENERGY STAR for Buildings and Plants, visit www.energystar.gov/buildings