After five years of hard work, Baptist DeSoto has received an EnergyStar National Rating, making it the first in Mississippi in almost a decade to receive such a certification.
According to EnergyStar qualifications, for a hospital to receive the certification, it must meet one of two energy efficiency improvement milestones. The first requires a 10 percent improvement in energy performance across their entire building portfolio, with subsequent recognition given for each 10 percent improvement thereafter. The second milestone, known as “top performer,” requires the buildings in an organization’s portfolio, on average, to perform in the top 25 percent of similar buildings nationwide.
“Based on patient census, number of employees, and square footage, we are using 75 percent less energy than other hospitals our size around the country,” said Ken Kirkpatrick, director of facilities and project services.
To receive certification, Baptist DeSoto changed the lighting throughout the hospital; upgraded the air handler; optimized the chiller plant; reduced heating and cooling to unoccupied areas in the hospital; and made improvements to boilers and UV lighting.
“We are using less energy even with patient growth,” said Matt Ferrell, plant operations foreman.