The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded top honors to two Texas medical facilities as part of the Energy Star National Building Competition. Representatives from more than three thousand buildings across the nation competing throughout the year to determine which building could reduce its energy use the most.

In Killeen, the Metroplex Adventist Hospital reduced its energy use by close to fifteen percent, the great amount of any hospital entered in the competition. In Woodlands, Memorial Hermann Southwest took top honors in category for medical office by reducing energy use by slightly over eight percent. Close to fifty buildings in this year’s competition showed energy reductions of twenty percent or more over the course of the year due to improved conservation practices, Energy Star equipment, and increased opportunities for all employees to be involved in the decision making process.

The competition is designed to target wasteful energy habits and motivate building managers, owners, and employees to better their energy efficiency and save money. Many participating businesses and organizations use the competition to increase employee involvement in energy reduction and waste recycling activities and conduct training and development to ensure everyone is aware how important “reduce, reuse and recycle” is to both the environment and the bottom line.

Commercial buildings in the US are responsible for a cost of more than one hundred billion dollars per year on energy use. Businesses and organizations working with the EPA’s Energy Star program can save money every year and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If you’re a facilities manager at a hospital or healthcare complex, consider using tools and resources from Energy Star. Sometimes even small changes such such powering down non-essential computer equipment, having motion sensor lighting, and increasing recycling accessibility can result in huge savings!