New lights use less energy but produce same amount of light output
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| Ken Deckman of Facilities Services Group replaces a light fixture in South Hall on the WellSpan York Hospital campus. More than 5,000 light fixtures will be replaced as part of an energy-savings project. |
Walking through the halls of WellSpan York Hospital, you may notice contractors replacing many of the lighting fixtures.
It’s part of a Value Analysis Team (VAT) project to decrease lighting expenses while increasing energy efficiency.
More than 5,000 T-12 lights will be replaced with higher efficiency T-8 lights. The T-8 lights use less energy to produce the same light output.
The project will yield an energy savings of $246,000 annually or an energy usage savings of 3.2 million kilowatt-hours. The cost savings are enhanced by a generous incentive by First Energy, the regional electrical power supplier, to improve lighting efficiency under PA Act 129.
First Energy pays .05 cents/kilowatt-hour saved annually for lighting improvement projects. The investment to save electrical utility costs will pay for itself in 1.2 years, according to Lowell Bull, manager of engineering.
“This is a logical approach to energy conservation,” said Nick Frolio, director of housekeeping at WellSpan York Hospital and a member of the Value Analysis Team (VAT). “We have received many suggestions from WellSpan staff members about how we might be able to better conserve energy.” He added, “WellSpan strives to be a good steward of the environment.”
The system-wide VAT teams represent Surgery, Lab Services, Cardiology/Imaging, Support Services, Patient Care and Administration/Human Resources.
The Value Analysis Program was established to obtain the best value for supplies and services while maintaining patient safety and outcomes. The teams look for opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
Frolio said the VAT team has considered many of the energy-savings suggestions from staff members. Not all, however, are feasible to implement.
Motion sensors that turn the lights off in a room when no one is there tend to not generate enough of a savings to offset the cost of installation.
Certain areas of the hospital, such as hallways and patient areas must have a certain amount of lighting to meet safety regulations.
The VAT team will investigate opportunities at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital and ambulatory sites to save energy.