10/06/2010 // Riverdale, NJ, USA // Camfil // Lynne Laake // (press release)
(Energy Cost Index News) – It’s one of the most surprising — and little known — facts about the healthcare industry: Each year, hospitals and other healthcare facilities spend nearly $8.8 billion on energy, according to ENERGYSTAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. It’s for a good and necessary cause, of course: patient needs. But it’s a far higher amount than it should be — or can be. Indeed, on average, every dollar a nonprofit hospital saves on energy improves its operating margin, by $20 for hospitals and $10 for medical offices.
To help healthcare facilities achieve those savings, Camfil — a leading manufacturer of air filtration systems for medical institutions, commercial and retail buildings, and educational facilities across the globe — has developed a simple system for honing in on high quality air filters proven to reduce the amount of energy used in heating and air conditioning.
Camfil’s system is called ECI, or Energy Cost Index. It is a 5-Star award system, with the higher the star value, the greater the annual energy savings. The ECI is an objective rating tool, based on science. So its ratings reveal a hospital air filter’s true lifetime value — and compares it to similar filters used under identical conditions. Using ECI, healthcare facilities can easily determine which air filters will bring the biggest benefits — and the lowest costs — over the long run.
The savings aren’t trivial, either. The third largest energy cost item in a healthcare environment is the power needed to move air through HVAC systems. But the right filter can bring down those costs dramatically. Hospitals using Camfil air filters, for example, have seen their HVAC energy costs drop by up to 30 percent. A key reason why: an innovative design that means the filters don’t degrade over time. That’s a crucial difference from traditional air filters, whose performance deteriorates as they age, requiring more and more energy to push air through.
Put simply: Camfil’s Energy Cost Index can be an important component in selecting the right filters to reduce energy use and create a healthier environment for patients and staff.
To recognize hospitals and medical facilities that demonstrate a long-term commitment to maintaining quality indoor air and saving energy, Camfil has also introduced the ECI Health Care Award. A comprehensive ECI Health Care Kit, complete with award qualifications, is available at no charge. Request yours by logging onto www.HealthCareAir.com
The world leader in air filtration systems and clean air solutions — for health care and other industries — Camfil provides the tools to achieve sustainability, maintain high air quality, and reduce airborne infections; all while lowering total cost of ownership. We’ve helped hospitals, office buildings, hotels, and other facilities go green without ever sacrificing performance. For more information on our Energy Cost Index, visit our website https://www.camfil.com/en-us
Media Information:
Address: 1 North Corporate Dr. Riverdale, NJ
Phone: 888.599.6620
Url: HVAC Air Filters
