Geisinger outlines 'green' initiatives, plans for future

Jun. 11—DANVILLE — Geisinger representatives recently reviewed and discussed the health system's "green" initiatives and their sustainability plans for the future.

Al Neuner, former vice president of facilities operations at Geisinger, moderated the forum and posed questions to other Geisinger officials, including Senior Director of Facilities Operations John Herron, Energy Manager Mike Garrity and Chief Philanthropy Officer Nancy Lawton-Kluck.

Neuner reflected on Geisinger's commitment to better health and the role sustainability plays within that broad goal.

"One aspect of how we improve the health of the community is actually sustainability," he said.

Specifically, Neuner introduced Geisinger's award-winning energy conservation efforts.

"Our main focus is conserving energy because of its impact on health," he said. "The less energy we use, the less we rely on power plants. This means there are less air pollutants generated, which results in better health."

The company's two largest campuses operate through co-generation facilities, which operate at 75-percent efficiency compared to traditional generation at 49-percent efficiency, Herron explained.

The expense was large, but both co-generation facilities create about $3 million in energy savings, according to Neuner.

Chilled water storage is another successful practice.

"It's a battery, but unlike one that stores electricity, it stores thermal energy in the form of chilled water," Herron explained. "In the million-gallon tank, chilled water is generated in the evening, and is discharged throughout the course of the day."

On the best of days, Geisinger can run entirely from non-electric sources through the tank and steam turbine chillers, Herron said.

Solar panels also are helping the cause. Garrity discussed the Janet Weis Children's Hospital PV Array. The solar panels on top of the children's hospital received a Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence in 2016.

"We chose the children's hospital to show that Geisinger is committed to the health impact on our children," Garrity said. "We want to leave our atmosphere in a better condition for future generations."

Lighting updates have contributed greatly to the company's conservation efforts, officials noted.

"Lighting has been a huge energy saver," Garrity said.

"We've invested in LEDs for the past ten years. In the next step, we layer controls on top of that, deciding when they need to be on and how powerful they need to be."

These proven energy-saving efforts are ones the energy manager plans to continue expanding.

"We will continue to do lighting conservation," Garrity said. "We did a unique project at the children's hospital and installed color changing lights in the lobby. Not only was it energy-saving, but it also helps children relax and see some cool lights."

"Retro-commissioning" efforts were also discussed. Garrity described this as fine-tuning already efficient equipment and processes. "How do we make this already efficient equipment more efficient?"

Neuner further explained the process using a car maintenance metaphor. "The best way to think about it is like tuning up your car," he said. "You do it to keep things running as best as they can."

To define the impact of Geisinger's energy-conservation efforts, Neuner provided statistics using an energy impact calculator. According to his results, the company's savings will total $15 million this year.

For the environmental impact in terms of health, Neuner's results showed Geisinger's efforts contribute to six fewer premature deaths, six fewer hospital visits and a $6 million reduction in direct medical costs.

Lawton-Kluck talked about the "softer side" of green. "We understand that good health doesn't just happen in the hospital setting," she said. "It's also about the facilities and environments in which we live."

The chief philanthropy officer described three outdoor project areas for Geisinger. Sechler Run, located between the Danville campus and Route 11, offers a walkway and creates a downstream effect for healthier water, she said.

A 1.5-mile loop walking trail around the Geisinger Wyoming Valley property is a place for both patients and employees to take a break and connect with nature. Also offering a meditative space is the Alec Ewing Healing Garden in the middle of the Geisinger Medical Center complex.

Looking toward the future, Geisinger officials hope to further their energy-conservation efforts. One avenue involves expansion of the chilled water storage system.

"We are actively pursuing encapsulated phase change material (PCM), which increase capacity by 50 percent," Herron said. "It's really exciting technology. Very few, if any, facilities in the country are doing this."

Garrity said Geisinger is also in the engineering phase of two new solar projects this year.