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Planning for energy-efficient health care buildings starts well
in advance of construction or renovation work. The formula for success:
involve a wide range of stakeholders—administration, staff,
and patients—in collaboration with an experienced design team.
The goal: Equip decision makers with the right knowledge at the
appropriate time in the process.
Set Goals for Energy Performance and Sustainability
Whether for new or existing buildings, success hinges on setting
goals for energy performance and sustainability early in the project
planning phase, when the potential for savings is the greatest.
For new health care buildings, following standardized green criteria—such
as the U.S. Green
Building Council's LEED rating system for commercial buildings—will
help to identify candidate goals. Design guides like the Sustainable
Building Technical Manual: Green Building Design, Construction,
and Operations can also help with setting goals.
The manual provides a how-to guide to the green building process
and suggested practices for developing sustainable, energy-efficient
buildings. ENERGY
STAR's Target Finder is another helpful
tool for setting energy performance targets for new buildings.
For existing health care buildings, the ENERGY
STAR Web site offers energy management
strategies, benchmarking tools, and other resources to help you
gain a better understanding of your current energy usage and identify
ways to save energy and money. Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Building
Technology Center also provides guidance and tools to help you benchmark
your health care buildings and estimate your cost reduction
potential.
Use the Whole Building Approach
Successful planning also involves using a whole
building design approach to optimize energy features in your
health care facilities. This approach examines the building structure
and systems and determines how these systems best work together
to save energy and reduce environmental impact.
As you evaluate various energy-efficient design alternatives,
cost/benefit
analyses can help you determine if and when a design feature
will pay for itself through energy savings, and help you set priorities
among alternative building improvement options. For example, life
cycle cost analysis determines the total cost of a system, component,
or building over its anticipated useful life. Rebuild America's
Life Cycle Cost Calculator can help you calculate the net present
value of two alternatives and compare them using this method.
Another key to successful planning is a careful review
of building codes and standards in your area. Plan
for building commissioning at this stage as well—the process
helps to ensure that the building's energy features are functioning
as planned and delivering the intended savings. Commissioning is
a systematic process that begins in the design phase and lasts at
least one year after construction. It involves preparation for the
operations and maintenance staff and thorough documented verification
that all building systems perform interactively, according to the
documented design intent and the owner's operational needs.
Financing Energy-Efficient Buildings
Cost and financing issues are key to determining which energy
features will be included in your final project plan. Five financing
mechanisms are available for investing in energy efficiency:
Internal
Funds
Energy efficiency improvements are financed by direct allocations
from an organization's own internal capital or operating budget.
Debt Financing
Energy efficiency improvements are financed with capital borrowed
directly by an organization from private lenders and includes municipal
bonds.
Lease or
Lease-Purchase Agreements
Energy-efficient equipment is acquired through an operating or financing
lease of 5 to 10 years with no up-front costs.
Energy
Performance Contracts
Energy efficiency measures are financed, installed, and maintained
by a third party that guarantees savings and payments based on those
savings.
Utility
Incentives
Rebates, grants, or other financial assistance are offered by an
energy utility for the design and purchase of certain energy-efficient
systems and equipment.
These financial mechanisms can be used in various combinations,
along additional funding
sources and considerations. The
Rebuild America Guide: Financing Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PDF 678 KB) provides more information about financing. Download Acrobat Reader.
Visit the Building Toolbox section of this site for more in-depth
information to help you plan
and finance energy-efficient commercial buildings.
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