The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program announced the energy saving results of all 3,200 competitors at the half-way point of the National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings, including 630 senior living communities from 39 states and Washington, D.C.
Energy, A Controllable Cost with Savings Potential
Battle of the Building’s competitors measured and tracked their senior living community’s monthly energy and water consumption using EPA’s ENERGY STAR online tracking tool, Portfolio Manager. Benchmarking their energy useage allowed them to make improvements to their building’s performance; and share their progress. The building that demonstrates the greatest percentage-based reduction in energy use intensity will be recognized as the winner in April 2013. 
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| 3.8-10%+ energy reduction | 425 senior living communities demonstrated an average energy use reduction of 3.8 percent (with the top 50 communities saving an average of over 10%). |
| $4.1 million dollars |
Collectively, these senior living communities saved over $4.1 million dollars, and prevented 12,700 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in just six months. |
| 8% water use reduction | Of the 207 communities also tracking water, half achieved an average of 8% water use reduction resulting in nearly $200,000 in savings. |
Responsible Corporate Citizens
“At Brookdale we strive to continuously improve our environmental, economic, and social performance to support a culture of Green Living”, said Martin Wilson, Senior Director of Asset Management at Brookdale Senior Living. “In 2012, we implemented a number of efficiency measures to reduce our impact, including an extensive lighting retrofit project, equipment upgrades, and a PTAC SKU reduction project. These efforts contributed to the celebrated consumption reduction seen at the House of Fairdale and a noticeable portfolio-wide consumption reduction. We believe that embracing sustainable business practices to reduce energy consumption, water use, and waste generation helps us be responsible corporate citizens, enriches the lives of our residents, and promotes conservation of our natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.”
What Are Your Energy Goals and How Will You Achieve Them?
According to EPA, energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and energy use at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. On average, 30% of the energy used in commercial buildings is wasted. Thousands of businesses and organizations work with EPA’s ENERGY STAR program and are saving billions of dollars and preventing millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering our atmosphere each year.
Battle of the Buildings Current Leader Reductions:
|
Senior Living Community |
Owner |
Organization |
Percent Reduction |
|
Sterling House of Fairdale (KS) |
NHP Master Lease |
Brookdale Senior Living |
19% |
|
Sunrise of Bloomfield Hills (MI) |
Sunrise Senior Living |
Sunrise Senior Living |
17% |
|
Sunrise at Countryside (VA) |
HCPI |
Sunrise Senior Living |
17% |
Uncover Energy Savings by Recognizing New Opportunities
In 1 week, ALFA will host the first of 3, NAB CEU certified energy management webinars for senior living providers to demonstrate the importance of benchmarking energy usage, offer energy saving tips and showcase success stories of environment leaders in the healthcare industry.
We invite senior living CEOs, Directors of Operation, Directors of Purchasing, etc. to learn the business case for energy intervention by positioning energy as a controllable, investment-grade opportunity. (Of the 10 senior living companies currently signed up for the Energy Webinar Series, 75% of the registrants consider themselves “influencers” of energy management decisions at their senior living companies, while 25% consider themselves “decision makers”).
Energy Webinar Details:
The Green Wave: Catch It Now To Save Money And Enhance Reputation, A Greener Future For The Senior Living Industry
*Attendees do not need to attend each session- just the ones of most interest.
Session 1: Energy, A Controllable Cost (1 CEU)
Webinar Date: Thursday, February 14th
Webinar Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Session 2: Case Studies In Energy Conservation ROI (1 CEU)
Webinar Date: Thursday, February 21st
Webinar Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Session 3: Benchmarking Energy Use, A More Energy Efficient Future Awaits The Senior Living Industry (1 CEU)
Webinar Date: Thursday, February 28th
Webinar Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET
Support a Culture of Green Living – Register Now.
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