BARABOO, WI – SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy efficiency for 2024.
This recognition represents the diligent work of the plant operations team to save money and reduce operating costs by implementing and following industry best practices and careful attention to energy performance each month. It also showcases SSM Health’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
Dave Greenwood, Plant Operations Manager for St. Clare Hospital – Baraboo shared that they received an Energy Star score of 82, which means that St. Clare is more energy efficient than 82% of similar properties nationwide. Some of the projects that contributed to this great score are:
- Upgrading to LED lighting in areas around the hospital that use light continuously 24/7.
- Moving to UV lighting in the air handlers. UV lights help keep the coils clean, which creates less resistance for the airflow allowing motors to work more efficiently.
- Replacing the media in the cooling towers, which enables the water to be colder before bringing it into the chillers, saving energy.
- Having new boiler controls and variable frequency drives installed on pumps. The VFD’s allow the pumps to modulate depending on load, which in turn saves energy.
Greenwood also noted that “This really was a team effort. Plant operations staff were committed to the Energy Star certification goal, and they came up with great ideas to decrease energy usage and make sure that all the equipment is running at its best.”
The ENERGY STAR rating system is the only energy efficiency certification that is based on actual, verified energy performance. Facilities that score a 75 or higher are eligible to apply for ENERGY STAR certification. Before facilities can earn the ENERGY STAR certification, a professional engineer or registered architect must verify that the information contained within the certification application is accurate.
You can learn more about ENERGY STAR certification online at energystar.gov.
About SSM Health St. Clare Hospital – Baraboo
SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit health system serving the comprehensive health needs of communities across the Midwest through one of the largest integrated delivery systems in the nation.
SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo is Sauk County’s largest hospital, serving the health care needs of residents in the greater Baraboo, Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells area. The 100-bed hospital provides radiation oncology, total joint replacement, women’s health services, and other specialty care. In 2018, St. Clare Hospital was certified by the Joint Commission for diabetes education and heart failure education.
For more information, visit ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
