by Taylor Kinzler
WABI-TV news story
Energy conservation in the workforce can have many benefits.
Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor has seen that firsthand since implementing an environmentally sound project.
“That’s how we can save money for patients because for every dollar that we spend on energy, it’s 20 dollars that we have to make through the hospital, so if I can save a dollar, that’s 20 dollars less that I have to charge a patient.”
It’s called the Cogent Plant. Energy efficient boilers like this help reduce the amount of natural gas burned to heat their facility.
It’s funded by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
“You can put fairly small amounts, funds into energy conservation projects that have very fast payback times. Sometimes we’ll do jobs that have a payback of two months, three months. So doing energy conservation projects is a good way to spend money and invest funds.”
Folks from hospitals in Bangor, Aroostook County and the Mid-Coast spoke at EMMC about energy efficient projects that are reducing costs and making sure patients always come first.
“The money that we save here can now go into patient care, upgrades, and X-ray equipment, and private spaces for patients in the new modernization tower that we have.”
Hospital officials say they have saved as much as $2.3 million in a single year with the new equipment.
But projects like this go far beyond cost efficiency.
“Industries sort of struggle in Maine, so if we can bring them solutions that can cut their operating costs, it helps them stay in business and it helps people in Maine stay employed.”
EMMC officials say the hospital has been able to maintain power during storms due to the energy efficient boilers.
They’re also reducing pollution rates.
