Energy Management in Senior Care Communities
Now more than ever, senior care communities are struggling with higher energy costs. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecast that electricity prices will climb an average of 9.8% in 2009, due to increased costs of generating power.
To help understand energy use in senior care communities and begin to formulate strategies for energy conservation, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living have teamed up with the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® program to provide senior care communities with tools and resources to help effectively manage energy use and demonstrate environmental stewardship. For purposes of this initiative, EPA is defining “senior care communities” as nursing facilities(SNFs & NFs), assisted living/residential care communities and CCRCs.
The 2009 Senior Care Energy Survey
AHCA/NCAL in conjunction with AAHSA, ASHA, and ALFA is issuing our first ever energy survey of senior care communities. This purpose of this survey is to obtain detailed national benchmarking information on energy consumption, costs, fuel sources, and services that drive energy use in senior care communities. We will use the survey findings to benefit our members by helping you to reduce energy costs, improve your operating margin, and protect the environment.
We will also share the anonymous results of this survey with the EPA and work with them to create an ENERGY STAR® rating system for senior care communities, just as they have done for other building types such as hospitals and medical offices. Expanding the ENERGY STAR rating system to include senior care communities will greatly benefit providers by giving maintenance managers a better understanding of their energy use and the ability to track and evaluate the effectiveness of operations and technical conservation strategies. Top energy saving communities could even become recognized by the EPA for environmental leadership. The success of this effort will largely depend upon the response rate of AHCA/NCA member facilities and communities, so please set aside some time to complete this important survey!
The PDF Version of the survey can be used for individual community responses, whereas the Excel Version can be used to provide data for more than one community at a time.
All survey data submitted will remain confidential.
The deadline for completing this survey has been extended to February 1, 2010. Submit this survey by emailing it to ENERGYSTARHealthcare@icfi.com.
Questions? Register to attend “Senior Care Energy Survey: Bring Your Questions, We Have Answers” session on December 3rd at 2 PM EST where you will have the opportunity to ask questions that will aid you in completing the survey. To register click the session title above or go to https://energystar.webex.com and click on the session title in the calendar. You can also send questions to ENERGYSTARHealthcare@icfi.com.
ENERGY STAR Overview
ENERGY STAR is a voluntary program helping to save money and protect our environment through energy-efficient products and practices. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2008 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars – all while saving $19 billion on their utility bills. The ENERGY STAR is recognized by more than 75 percent of the American public as the symbol for energy efficiency and environmental excellence.
ENERGY STAR currently enjoys the partnership of hundreds of healthcare organizations of varying sizes and types, and helps these organizations to establish and refine their energy management programs. Organizations work with ENERGY STAR to manage energy, promote energy awareness to their communities, differentiate themselves as environmental leaders, and build the energy component of their sustainability efforts. To learn more about ENERGY STAR for Healthcare, please visit www.energystar.gov/healthcare.
Energy Benchmarking Using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is an online tool that allows all buildings – including healthcare spaces such as senior care communities – to track and assess energy and water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions within individual buildings as well as across a portfolio.
Enter energy consumption and cost data into your Portfolio Manager account to benchmark building energy performance, identify strategic opportunities for savings, set investment priorities, assess energy management goals over time, and verify results.
Get started by creating your own Portfolio Manager account at www.energystar.gov/istar/pmpam/. Click on “Register” next to “New User”. Also, view a step-by-step training on how to enter your senior care facility into Portfolio Manager:
ENERGY STAR Trainings, Tools, and Resources
Below are select ENERGY STAR offerings which can help to senior care communities to strengthen energy management within their community.
ENERGY STAR Senior Care Webinar Series
This Webinar series is intended for representatives – including executives, community level directors, facility managers, and individuals tasked with community management or sustainability initiatives – of companies that own or manage senior care buildings. Sessions overview financial, social, and environmental benefits of reducing energy use and ENERGY STAR technical tools, communications strategies, and ENERGY STAR partner-proven best practices that can help along the way. Viewers can also learn more about efforts under way to develop an Energy Performance Rating for Senior Care buildings.
View the following recorded sessions:
ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management
EPA offers a proven strategy for superior energy management with tools and resources to help each step of the way. Based on the successful practices of ENERGY STAR partners, these guidelines for energy management can assist your senior care community in improving its energy and financial performance while distinguishing your organization as an environmental leader.
ENERGY STAR Qualified Products
ENERGY STAR qualified product models use less energy, save money and help protect the environment. EPA has created resources to assist procurement officials in making smart purchasing decisions. Take advantage of online trainings to understand the full range of purchasing opportunities. Review case studies and the key benefits of purchasing ENERGY STAR-qualified products.
Promoting Energy Efficiency
Show your employees and residents how your facility has taken steps toward reducing your environmental footprint through energy efficiency, and encourage them to become champions for energy conservation. Here are some ideas:
Please visit www.energystar.gov to learn more about ENERGY STAR offerings for your organization.