Our hospital's efforts to go green are now paying off. Just last week, Kingston General Hospital cashed a cheque for $172,166.50 as part of a rebate generated by our partnership with Honeywell Canada to reduce our energy use. The cheque came from Utilities Kingston and is thanks to major mechanical upgrades made throughout our hospital.
"This is work that's saving money, and that money goes right back into patient care," says Allan McLuskie, Director of Facilities Management. "This cheque from Utilities Kingston puts a value on all the work we've done to help save energy so far and there is more to come."
More than 900 low-flush toilets have already been installed across KGH, along with 746 flow-moderated faucets, and upgraded automation for our HVAC systems. Some changes have allowed us to save tens of thousands of dollars annually.
"Within eight years these upgrades will pay for themselves," says McLuskie. "These mechanical improvements are just one part of a bigger picture, helping us to cut heating and cooling costs, and saving $88,000 a year in water."
Altogether, our annual utility spending has been reduced by more than $700,000 since we partnered with Honeywell in the spring of 2010. This is the equivalent of taking 245 Kingston residences off the local grid, or 700 cars off our city streets. And there's more on the horizon as KGH looks to further trim consumption.
"Before long we'll start moving into the next phase of our energy-saving efforts," says McLuskie. "We're even going to automate computers so that our terminals go into sleep mode if they sit idle for too long."
That change will start with the computers in all non-clinical areas - nearly half of all computers at KGH.
"It's another small change that will save tens of thousands more dollars each year," says McLuskie. "If we want to save money for patient care while protecting the environment, every little bit counts."
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