Although their higher capacities often translate into more opportunities for savings from cooling systems, significant savings can still be had from heating systems. Many existing systems are oversized, to begin with, so it may now be possible to justify replacing the current system with a properly sized one — or retrofitting it to operate more efficiently.

When replacing system components, it is extremely important to size the equipment properly to meet current loads. Besides saving energy, proper sizing will likely reduce noise, lower first costs for equipment, and optimize equipment operation, which in turn reduces maintenance costs and extends equipment lifetime.

Energy Star recommends a staged approach to energy efficiency, meaning that an organization would want to look at the efficiency mechanism categories above in sequential order. Energy Star points to the fact that many of these strategies build upon each other and can increase efficiencies in later strategies if the early strategies are completed first.

Practice Greenhealth recognizes that there are a variety of drivers for selecting which energy initiative comes first — including the availability of capital, but generally supports this framework.

Stages of integrated upgrade approach ENERGY STAR Building Upgrade Manual Chapter 6: Lighting. A key element in a comprehensive energy efficiency program involves specifying products and equipment that meet certain energy efficiency standards.

While specifying energy-efficient equipment is clearly integrated into the strategies above, health care organizations can also benefit from putting some clear guidance into place for purchasing staff, so that other departments and units ordering supplies and equipment are informed of the preference for energy-efficiency where possible.

All HVAC units should be properly sized and selected for high efficiency. For HVAC equipment see Energy Star Qualified Products.

The Department of Energy also provides several fact sheets on buying energy-efficient equipment including:. Practice Greenhealth also provides energy-efficiency specifications for other products found in health care, including:.

Learn more about how strategic transportation operations can improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Green Guide for Healthcare Facility Management Credits. This self-certifying credit system allows health care organizations to access information on best practices for sustainability and health in a credit-based format.

Through its volunteer committees, GGHC develops and distributes health care specific and health-focused tools, technical guidance and educational resources to support, reinforce and accelerate the creation, operation, and maintenance of high-performance healing environments. Energy Star for Health care.

Energy Star is a partnership of the EPA, the Department of Energy, and over 8, private and public sector organizations that provide extensive technical information and other resources promoting energy efficiency.

Its Portfolio Manager tool is also the premier energy and water tracking mechanism for the health care sector. Its resources include:. Better Buildings Alliance. The Department of Energy through the Better Buildings Alliance partners with leading health care organizations to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions of health care systems throughout the country.

By leveraging access to advanced technologies emerging from the national laboratories, the Better Buildings Alliance creates a national forum for industry to share evidence-based technology and market solutions proven to drive energy reductions.

Through the Better Buildings Alliance, DOE is providing the resources, tools, and strategies to identify clear pathways to cost and energy savings through efficient and renewable energy technology applications.

The following fact sheets offer more detailed information. IFMA Healthcare Council is a membership organization for facility management professionals. The Health Care Council HCC consists of hospital administrators, facility managers, design and construction professional, consultants, vendors, and students serving academic medical centers and community hospitals, retirement facilities, and specialty hospitals and clinics.

As a council of IFMA, their goal is to holistically enhance the skills of facility management professionals within the health care industry and to further the profession overall. With 10, members, ASHE is the largest membership association devoted to optimizing the health care physical environment.

ASHE counts health care facility managers and engineers amongst its primary members and works to provide resources on best practices for managing the physical environment of health care. ASHE has a wealth of resources on its website—from compliance with codes and, regulations, to energy efficiency guidance to webinars and conferences.

ASHE is also a sponsor of the Sustainability Roadmap , which has a host of resources on energy. Practice Greenhealth is the leading sustainable health care organization, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1, hospitals and health systems in the United States and Canada.

Partnership opportunities include hospitals, health systems, community health organizations, NGOs, nonprofits, government, academic institutions, and the health care value chain. User account menu Sign Up Login My Account Log Out Search. Practice Greenhealth About Why sustainability News Our Team Board of Directors Contact Us Employment opportunities Join our email listserv Sign up for our newsletter Website FAQs Our history.

Overview Buildings Chemicals Energy Food Sustainable Procurement Transportation Waste. Sustainability Benchmark Reports Cost of Ownership Calculator Greenhealth Academy Advisory services Impact purchasing commitment Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator.

Sustainable procurement guide. CleanMed Upcoming events Cohort groups. Data collection and awards Sustainability data Performance measurement Awards and recognition Awards applications Awards Platform. Why Join Hospital and Health system.

Outpatient centers Industry partner Awards promotion. Best Practices in Energy Efficiency. Member Content. Though ceiling fans aren't devices you plug in, turning them off when not in use can help with your energy conservation efforts and result in lower energy costs.

Also, consider washing dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher. In cases where you only have a few dishes to wash, it may not be worth running the dishwasher. Instead, make sure to run it only when it's fully loaded, and use the energy-saving mode if your dishwasher has one.

This can help you to save energy and money on your utilities. Finally, instead of using hot water when doing laundry, opt for cold water instead.

Some washing machines even have a "cold wash" cycle. Every household that switches to cold water washing could eliminate about 1, pounds of carbon dioxide a year. While these are all small steps towards the reduction of energy consumption, their impact will mean less pollution and more efficient energy use in the long run.

Sealing air leaks around your home is a great way to reduce your heating and cooling expenses. Air leaks in your home can lead to increased energy consumption by allowing hot air to escape in the winter and cool air to escape during warmer months.

In turn, your heating and cooling systems have to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature, leading to increased energy usage.

Once you have identified the air leaks in your home, there are several ways to seal them and improve your home's energy efficiency. Here are a few tips:. Sealing air leaks and insulating your home, you can reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool your home, decreasing energy waste and heat loss.

Energy-efficient appliances are designed to use less energy than traditional appliances. One way to identify energy-efficient appliances is by looking for the ENERGY STAR label.

Products earn the ENERGY STAR label by meeting the energy efficiency requirements set forth in ENERGY STAR product specifications. The EPA establishes these specifications. In , ENERGY STAR certified products helped consumers save billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

ENERGY STAR certified appliances include a wide range of products such as:. Also, consider installing water-saving devices like low-flow showerheads. Low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and toilet displacement devices use less water and can help to reduce hot water usage.

This type of thermostat allows you to set a schedule for your heating and cooling system. So it only runs when you need it. Thus enabling you to use less electricity by turning off the heating or cooling when you're not at home or at night when you're sleeping. By simply using an advanced power strip, you can reduce your electricity usage by 20 to 48 per cent.

Overall, smart power strips can be a great tool for reducing your energy consumption and avoiding high electricity prices. Smart power strips offer a variety of benefits that can help you to reduce your energy consumption and increase energy efficiency in your home.

Some of the main benefits include:. In the average household, washing machines and dryers typically account for the most energy use.

On the other hand, clotheslines and drying racks use only the sun and wind to dry your clothes, which is a natural and free resource. Energy efficiency means using less power to perform the same task or produce the same result. If your living situation permits you to take advantage of this method, it's an excellent way to avoid high energy prices.

Moreover, by using a clothesline or drying rack, you'll be able to harness the power of the sun, our most accessible renewable source. As concerns about climate change and the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels continue to grow, more homeowners are turning to renewable sources to power their homes.

One of the most popular and widely available options is solar energy. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. They are a great option for homeowners who want to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and decrease their energy bills.

Solar panels can be installed on the roof of a home or property and connected to the power grid. The electricity produced by the solar panels can be used to power the home or fed back into the grid for credit on future energy bills. Solar batteries are devices that store the electricity produced by solar panels.

This allows homeowners to use the electricity they produce even when the sun is not shining. They can also be used to provide backup power in case of a power outage. Solar water heaters use the energy from the sun to heat water. They are an efficient way to provide hot water for a home and can significantly reduce energy consumption and costs.

Solar water heaters can be used for both domestic hot water and for space heating. To learn more about energy security with renewable energy, check out this article on how to fight energy insecurity by switching to renewable energy.

The HVAC heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is responsible for maintaining the indoor temperature and air quality in a building. But, if it is old or not properly maintained, it can result in energy loss and increased energy bills.

Upgrading to a newer, more energy-efficient HVAC system can help to reduce energy consumption and save money on energy bills.

For example, switching to a natural gas furnace instead of an electric one can reduce energy consumption. On average, natural gas is cheaper than electricity. One of the most energy-efficient ways to upgrade your home's HVAC system is to install an air source heat pump.

Unlike traditional heating and cooling systems that rely on burning fossil fuels, heat pumps transfer heat from one place to another, making them highly efficient in terms of energy consumption.

They can provide both heating and cooling, and in many cases, they offer a cost-effective and energy-efficient upgrade for smart home energy systems. These systems are becoming more popular as they help to reduce the carbon footprint and lower energy bills.

Additionally, upgrading to an HVAC system with improved air filtration and ventilation can improve indoor air quality and reduce the amount of air pollution inside the home.

Plus, the Inflation Reduction Act offers potential rebates and incentives for improving the energy efficiency of buildings.