Graham County Hospital

Graham County Hospital exists to assure available healthcare services for area residents. Their purpose is to work with other community providers toward the prevention and treatment of diseases and injury, to maintain a health learning environment and to promote the health of the general community.

The hospital engaged Energy Solutions Professionals (ESP) to perform a detailed energy audit that would uncover opportunities for energy-efficiency improvements that would pay for themselves in a reasonable time frame. A major recommendation from the audit was to replace and consolidate the hospital’s aging boilers. The existing equipment, some of which dated back to the 1950s, was at the end of its useful life and scattered in various buildings.

In order to ease maintenance and reduce energy use, new high efficiency dual-fuel condensing boilers were installed in a central plant.

The project also includes state-of-the-art lighting and lighting controls that will automatically turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, enhancements to the existing energy management control system, piping replacements, new windows, the replacement of window air-conditioning units with more efficient mini-split systems.

The program cut Graham County Hospital’s utility usage by 27 percent and reduced carbon emissions by 242 metric tons, equal to the annual emissions from electricity use of more than 36 homes.

Energy Solutions Professionals also worked with the hospital to develop energy guidelines, establish optimal settings for temperatures, and set equipment operating schedules in a manner that maintains occupant comfort while maximizing the potential energy savings.