Per Energy Star, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) program to protect the environment and promote energy-efficiency, hospitals use about 2.5 times more energy per square foot than an office building of the same size. From research, we know that emissions from fossil fuels are linked to a multitude of health conditions — which is why the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is working to improve energy efficiency and transition to more renewable energy sources.
- In partnership with the Ohio State Energy Partners, an LED retrofit on the Columbus campus medical center buildings was completed of over 40,000 fixtures. We began construction on energy conservation measures, and we finished installation of smart meters.
- In fiscal year 2024, all medical center-owned buildings decreased energy use intensity by 0.7% from FY23 and approximately 38% of the electricity supplied to the medical center at main campus and off-site medical center locations was carbon neutral with renewable energy credits.
- The Engineering and Building Automation System teams worked to institute scheduled setbacks in multiple buildings, leading to significant energy savings, such as at the 395 W. 12th Ave. building, which had a 27% decrease in energy use intensity in FY23 from FY22.
Carbon footprint by scope by year
Image above: This graph shows the carbon footprint by scope for each fiscal year, 2019-2023. There is a trend of a decreasing carbon footprint each year, making 2023 the lowest.