Fairbanks Energy Services, a full-service design/build energy conservation firm and developer of comprehensive commercial and industrial efficiency projects, announces today the completion of a series of energy efficiency upgrades for Edward-Elmhurst Health, one of the largest integrated healthcare systems in Illinois. The net result of the project was a dramatic reduction in lighting energy use that paid for itself in less than three years.

The lighting retrofit took place throughout 2017 at 10 different locations across the three main Edward-Elmhurst campuses. A turn-key solution, the project replaced or retrofitted more than 38,000 inefficient halogen, incandescent, fluorescent and metal halide fixtures with modern LEDs. A variety of indoor spaces were improved through the initiative, including: common areas, nurse stations, cafeterias, offices, mechanical rooms, conference rooms, fitness centers and parking areas. To further enhance the lighting at the Edward and Elmhurst campuses, Fairbanks Energy optimized the existing lighting controls system at these locations to include a new scheme that includes daylight harvesting, scheduling and dimming capabilities.

Fairbanks Energy utilized a variety of best practices unique to energy efficiency projects at hospitals and healthcare facilities, including:

• Minimizing patient and staff impact by only implementing the upgrades in areas that had no disruption to their daily operations

• Ensuring continuous uptime in the mission critical environment by preventing interruptions to the facilities’ power supplies while the work was taking place

• Taking precautions to avoid the potential risk of contamination, such as utilizing dust containment carts while installing fixtures in sensitive areas

As a result of these efforts, annual electrical consumption for Edward-Elmhurst Health has been reduced by 15,882,479 kWh, which is 70% of their previous annual lighting energy usage. This translates to an annual financial savings of $1,968,143 for the healthcare system, as well as a multitude of other important benefits like: better patient care through customizable lighting options, improved working conditions for the staff, increased safety on the campuses, and making a tangible positive impact on the Chicagoland environment.

“I am delighted with the tremendous energy and cost savings that Edward-Elmhurst Health has achieved through this energy efficiency program,” said Rob Golden, Director of Midwest Business Development for Fairbanks Energy Services. “Their comprehensive efforts to conserve power have been impressive and an excellent example of the important role that modern lighting and controls can have on a company’s bottom line. Most importantly, we were able to optimize the different facilities without impacting the staff and patient experience during their stay.”

“Edward-Elmhurst Health is delighted for the opportunity to work on these energy efficiency upgrades with Fairbanks Energy Services,” said Mary Lou Mastro, System CEO, Edward-Elmhurst Health. “Thanks to these efforts, our hospital system has benefited enormously from the reductions in energy and operational costs that the new lighting system has generated. Through this investment, the people who depend on Edward-Elmhurst will see increased benefits not only today, but in the years to come.”

Learn more at http://www.fairbanksenergy.com.

Read the full article at Healthcare Facilities Today.