Berlin, Vt. – The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC), in partnership with Efficiency Vermont, Liebert Engineering, Inc. and Control Technologies Inc., will unveil an interactive energy kiosk that graphically displays CVMC’s energy usage and costs in a real-time dashboard. The kiosk will also help staff, homeowners, tenants and businesses discover ways to reduce energy consumption and costs at home and at work.
The free public event, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 25, takes place in CVMC’s main lobby at 130 Fisher Road. Free Efficiency Vermont refrigerator thermometers will be available to all attendees.
The kiosk kickoff event begins with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony on the interactive 49-inch LED touchscreen kiosk that will be permanently located in the hospital’s main lobby. A second kiosk will be installed in the Mountain View Café at a later time. The display is designed by Signal Advertising and underwritten by Efficiency Vermont, the state’s objective advisor on saving energy through efficiency.
The kiosks display a real-time weather and energy consumption dashboard in vibrant resolution, color and detail, allowing users to pinpoint ways of reducing monthly utility bills and understand current energy consumption at CVMC through an interactive touchscreen. Kiosk display data includes:
- Current weather conditions and how they impact energy consumption at that moment in time, as well as over the past year;
- Live electric and natural gas usage and costs, along with yearly energy trends;
- Progress chart for CVMC’s Energy Star score;
- Information on how CVMC has saved more than $800,000 per year in energy costs since 2010;
- Tips on how to become more energy efficient at work and home;
- An energy glossary.
Efficiency Vermont is also hosting four 25-minute energy information sessions for CVMC employees as part of its new on-site service for employers. This free service, available to any Vermont employer, features a variety of workplace workshops, personal energy consultations, and rebate and financing options. CVMC is engaging with Efficiency Vermont to roll out the full program to its employees later this year.
In 2016, CVMC earned coveted ENERGY STAR certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), signifying it performs in the top 25 percent of hospitals nationwide for energy efficiency. Since then, CVMC has reached the top 20 percent as it continues striving to meet strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA and DOE.
“We’re excited continue CVMC’s ENERGY STAR legacy by inspiring our colleagues and community to save money on utility bills with these interactive tools,” said Leo Martineau, CVMC’s Energy Savings Initiative coordinator.
CVMC’s energy reduction efforts began in 2010, when the facility ranked in the bottom 25 percent of nationwide hospital energy performance. Working closely with Efficiency Vermont, Liebert Engineering, Inc. and Control Technologies Inc., CVMC embarked on a multi-faceted initiative to improve efficiency and reduce consumption. The efforts resulted in a 28 percent reduction in energy consumption, unprecedented for a Vermont hospital, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 6.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to taking 604 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.
“CVMC has been one of the true leaders in the Vermont health care sector in recognizing the value of energy efficiency and consumption reduction, and investing in it to reduce their operational costs and improving their environmental footprint,” said Efficiency Vermont Director Karen Glitman. “Weatherization and energy efficiency can reduce air contaminants linked to chronic illnesses and improve symptoms of asthma and other respiratory conditions. By promoting efficiency with their staff and patients, CVMC is supporting two missions at once – better public health and cleaner, more affordable energy. That’s leadership!”
About The University of Vermont Health Network
The University of Vermont Health Network is an academic health system that is comprised of six affiliate hospitals, a multi-specialty medical group and a home health agency. We serve residents of Vermont and northern New York with a shared mission – working together, we improve people’s lives. Our partners include:
- The University of Vermont Medical Center
- The University of Vermont Health Network Medical Group
- The University of Vermont Health Network – Alice Hyde Medical Center
- The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center
- The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
- The University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital
- The University of Vermont Health Network – Porter Medical Center
- The Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties
Our 4,000 health care professionals are driven to provide high-quality, cost-efficient care as close to home as possible. Strengthened by our academic connection to The University of Vermont, each of our hospitals remains committed to its local community by providing compassionate, personal care shaped by the latest medical advances and delivered by highly-skilled experts.
About Efficiency Vermont: Efficiency Vermont was created by the Vermont Legislature and Vermont Public Service Board to help all Vermonters reduce energy costs, strengthen the economy, and protect Vermont’s environment. For more information, contact Efficiency Vermont at 888-921-5990 or visit www.efficiencyvermont.com.
About Liebert Engineering, Inc.: Charlotte-based Liebert Engineering provides comprehensive design services to government, hospitals, defense, higher education and related academic institutions and value consulting engineering through energy evaluations, cost estimating, equipment procurement strategies, instrumentation and controls analyses, power generation systems evaluations, construction and operations needs assessments. More at www.lieberteng.com.
About Control Technologies, Inc.: Control Technologies of Williston designs and implements building management system (BMS) solutions for controlling building environments, managing multi-site facilities, and reducing energy and operational costs. More at www.controltechinc.com.
About Signal Advertising: Signal Advertising is a Vermont web design company working with local and national clients from multiple offices in Burlington and Montpelier. It specializes in web design, developing responsive websites, custom database-driven internet applications and email marketing. More at www.signalz.com.