Hospitals go green and cut costs by $13M

The American Hospital Association's American Society for Healthcare Engineering recognized the Memorial Herrmann hospital system and other facilities in South Carolina and Tennessee for green healthcare initiatives that helped reduce operating costs by millions of dollars, reports AHA News Now.

Altogether, the use of green healthcare technologies reduced the overall operating costs of the hospitals by about $13 million and saved nearly 449 kiloBTUs of energy and greenhouse gas emissions--equivalent to taking 17,800 automobiles off the highways.

Eleven Memorial Hermann hospitals were recognized, along with Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., and St. Francis Eastside Medical Center in Greenville, S.C.

ASHE honored the hospitals via its Energy Efficiency Commitment program, which encourages hospitals to cut their energy consumption by 10 percent or more. Since the program was established in 2006, more than 30 hospitals have been recognized for cutting energy use and reducing operating costs. Awards are typically given on Earth Day, April 22.

For more:
- read the AHA News Now article
- check out the ASHE Energy Efficiency Commitment Program