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— Health Care Properties Quarterly — July 2017

www.crej.com

Sustainability

Healthcare Construction

on

Trust.

Built

www.ghphipps.com

1-877-5PHIPPS

(1-877-574-4777)

INSPIRE • LEAD • DELIVER

Photo: Ed LaCasse

H

ospitals and health care

facilities have the enormous

responsibility of providing

continuous, high-quality

care while managing their

costs. Energy costs, in particular,

can become a substantial burden for

this sector in order to meet the long

operating hours and specialized needs.

Fortunately, however, there are easy

methods for increasing your facility’s

energy efficiency. Investing in energy

efficiency can help to free up funds to

implement other innovative solutions

to meet the changing demands in

health care.

Installing energy-efficiency lighting,

for example, provides a unique oppor-

tunity to cut costs, while impacting

patient satisfaction and staff perfor-

mance. According to the U.S. Depart-

ment of Energy, lighting accounts for

as much as 42 percent of the electric-

ity used in health care facilities. Due to

recent developments in light-emitting

diode technology, facilities can achieve

long-lasting energy reductions and

superior light quality with rapid pay-

backs. For example, electric customers

of ours can see as much as 75 percent

of the total project cost through 2017

covered through rebates for certain

LED solutions.

The characteristics of LED lighting

offer a wide array of benefits, starting

with their unprecedented lifespan.

With the expected useful life of 30,000

to 50,000 hours or even longer, facili-

ties can expect to significantly reduce

their maintenance and replacement

costs. Additionally, LEDs are less prone

to breakage, provide instant-on perfor-

mance and are controllable in nature.

These benefits allow lighting manu-

facturers to manipu-

late the light to

provide the optimal

illumination across

environments.

Here are a few key

areas that can ben-

efit from LED tech-

nology:

• Waiting rooms

and lobbies.

First

impressions are

important. Lobbies

and waiting areas

with the right light

can give patients

and visitors the warm welcome they

need. This subtle but noticeable dif-

ference can be the differentiator that

impacts patient retention.

• Stairwells.

Modern LED lighting

works to distribute light widely and

with greater vibrancy than fluores-

cents. A well-lit stairwell ensures

proper light levels when occupied and

helps to reduce avoidable accidents.

Additionally, the controllable nature of

LEDs allows for dimming features to

drastically reduce energy consumption

while unoccupied.

• Operating rooms.

High-quality light-

ing is a necessity in operating rooms.

The superior performance of LEDs

can provide crisp illumination exactly

where it’s needed, while improving

color rendition and reducing waste

heat.

• Nursing stations.

These key areas

require proper lighting for administra-

tive work, the exchange of information

and visitor assistance. Research has

indicated that 57 percent of nurses

report shadows as impacting their

visual performance. LED lighting can

provide a balance in the quality and

quantity of light – improving work-

place satisfaction and patient care.

• Patient rooms.

Lighting is a crucial

component of a healing environ-

ment, and we have strong emotional

and biological responses to it. Studies

have shown that natural lighting has

a significant influence on our biologi-

cal clocks.Without an abundance of

natural light in many hospitals, mod-

ern LED lighting can help to replicate

the feel of sunlight. These LED fixtures

bring the reality of full color control,

helping to match earth’s natural light

patterns and qualities throughout

each day – recalibrating patient’s bio-

logical clocks and improving their

sleep when compared to florescent

light.

• Parking and outdoor areas.

Bright,

reliable outdoor lighting enhances

safety for visitors, patients and staff,

and is especially important for hospi-

tals, which operate around the clock.

Modern LED area lighting creates a

vibrant, uniform and safe lighting

solution for parking lots and outdoor

areas.

Upgrading health care facilities with

energy-efficient LED lighting has mul-

tifaceted benefits for employees and

patients alike.When coupled with cut-

ting-edge sensors and control technol-

ogy, LEDs allow for even deeper energy

savings and benefits, like occupancy

sensing, daylight harvesting and load

shedding. This level of control and

customization empowers facilities to

create the right healing environment

for them – increasing patient experi-

ence, retention and satisfaction across

the board. Fewer accidents and errors,

reduced energy waste and a decreased

maintenance burden are additional

advantages.While the upfront costs

of upgrading to more efficient lighting

can look intimidating on paper, cur-

rent rebate offerings make updating

a wise investment that will pay off in

the long run.

Xcel Energy is offering through year-

end free services to qualifying health

care facilities, including a lighting

assessment, a recommendation report

and project support, along with 30

percent bonus rebates on the latest

high-efficiency lighting solutions. For

more information, visit xcelenergy.com/ lightingefficiency. s Fit your health care facility for the future with LEDs

Reid Beauchamp

Market outreach

specialist, Xcel

Energy, Denver

Due to recent developments in

light-emitting diode technology, facilities can

achieve long-lasting energy reductions and

superior light quality with rapid paybacks.