Newswise — Red Bank, NJ – October 3, 2014 – In an innovative and proactive approach to providing exceptional care, Riverview Medical Center has successfully completed an energy conservation plan improving patient comfort. This program greatly reduces the hospital’s annual energy consumption and carbon footprint while also ensuring the reliability of vital hospital equipment for years to come.
Through New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, Riverview Medical Center enrolled in the Pay for Performance (P4P) plan which grants financial incentives to large buildings for reducing their energy consumption by 20%. After partnering with Tozour Energy Systems, Riverview implemented a number of energy conservation measures to achieve this goal.
Modernizing the building’s automation system was one of the most important key measures followed throughout the project. The upgraded system now analyzes and adjusts the operating conditions of the Hospital in real-time to ensure reliability, comfort and operational savings. Other energy conservation measures such as upgrading equipment such as boilers, chillers and ventilation systems played a critical role in the process. This new system improved the quality of the air as well as temperature control, giving patients and guests of Riverview a higher level of comfort throughout their stay.
Following these key measures, Riverview has reduced its annual energy output by more than 20%, improved the air quality within the hospital, ensured the longevity and reliability of its equipment, lowered energy costs by more than $900,000 and vastly diminished its greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the offset 3,658 metric tons of carbon dioxide equates to planting more than 18,000 trees.
“After closely examining every system within the hospital, we identified an opportunity to proactively upgrade our infrastructure now, rather than reactively replace failing equipment in the future,” says Tim Hogan, regional hospital president, Monmouth County. “The foresight of Meridian Health’s leadership has been instrumental in Riverview’s recent enhancements. I’m proud to be a part of an organization committed to providing local residents the best care, while also being at the forefront of environmental responsibility.”
Pay for Performance (P4P) is a comprehensive energy efficiency program that provides incentives towards whole-building energy improvements for buildings with large energy consumption. Through New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, P4P participants receive financial incentives for reducing their energy consumption by 20% or more. These incentives are funded by the Societal Benefit Charge all public utility customers pay, which provides funding for programs that yield societal benefits such as low income programs, nuclear decommissioning, and funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
About Riverview Medical CenterRiverview Medical Center, a member of the Meridian Health Family, is a 463-bed not-for-profit community hospital located on the Navesink River in Red Bank, New Jersey. Riverview Medical Center provides health care programs and services in all major medical disciplines including: maternity, oncology, orthopedics and rehabilitation, neurology, thoracic and vascular surgery, cardiology, renal dialysis, diabetes management, and emergency and critical care services. Riverview’s Jane H. and John Marshall Booker Cancer Center offers comprehensive cancer services close to home, while Riverview’s Jane H. Booker Women and Children’s Center combines expertise and convenience to address preventative health, diagnosis, treatment, and support for women of all ages. Riverview Rehabilitation Center is Monmouth County’s only fully-accredited inpatient rehabilitation facility, and Riverview is a designated Primary Stroke Center and has also maintained prestigious Magnet designation for Nursing Excellence since 1998. Riverview is the only hospital in the region with the groundbreaking CyberKnife® system, offering new hope for patients with inaccessible or inoperable tumors. For more information about Riverview Medical Center and Meridian Health, please call 1-800-DOCTORS or visit www.riverviewmedicalcenter.com.
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