EVERETT — When Providence Regional Medical Center Everett’s new tower opens in June, it will have an edge over many other medical facilities in energy efficiency.
Providence has worked with the Snohomish County Public Utility District to incorporate many energy savings features in the construction of its 12-story, $460 million hospital tower.
It will achieve the highest energy savings of any of the Providence group’s 27 hospitals in the western United States, according to the organization.
On the PUD’s end, “it’s the biggest energy efficiency project we’ve done in the past 10 years,” spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.
Measures include heating and cooling equipment that runs at variable speeds to maximize energy efficiency along with heat recovery systems, energy-saving lighting and controls and a more efficient air-circulation system for patients’ rooms.
“It’s all digital control stuff,” said Scott Anderson, vice president of construction project management for the hospital.
Providence spent $2.5 million more than it needed to spend to meet minimum state energy efficiency standards, Anderson said. Its energy conservation, however, is expected to reach 7.5 million kilowatt hours per year, equaling $525,000 in annual savings.
In addition, Providence could receive several hundred thousand dollars in financial incentives from the PUD even before the doors of the new tower open, Neroutsos said. The utility provides the incentives for commercial construction that includes energy efficient design.
Based on energy savings alone, Providence is expected to make up the cost of its investment in five years. This was the threshold Providence used for determining its investment, Anderson said.
Other ideas, such as solar panels, were rejected because the payoff didn’t meet that guideline, he said.
“We looked at payback on a bunch of different processes,” he said.
Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439; sheets@heraldnet.com.
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