BENNINGTON, Vt. — Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), has been named as an "Energy Leader" by Efficiency Vermont. 

 

The organization honored seven large commercial and industrial customers with the award at the end of last year.

 

"SVMC's investment in energy efficiency and commitment to lowering energy use, operational costs, and greenhouse gas emissions is a testament their forward thinking and leadership," said Dave Adams, senior customer engagement manager at Efficiency Vermont. "We're grateful for the opportunity to support them with technical advice and incentives."

 

SVMC upgraded 50 percent of its control systems to achieve a greater command over ventilation, saving almost 500,000 kWh from the upgrade and building commissioning. SVMC has also taken steps to reduce its carbon footprint, recently completing a comprehensive pipe insulation project and a steam trap audit and repair initiative. These efforts will result in a reduction of almost 575,000 pounds of carbon emissions per year.

 

"Energy efficiency projects makes sense for the environment and from a fiscal perspective," said Ron Zimmerman, director of Engineering at SVMC. "We are proud to accept this recognition and thank Efficiency Vermont for acknowledging our efforts."

 

Efficiency Vermont is collaborating on many projects as the SVMC campus in Bennington undergoes a major expansion and renovation of the Emergency Department, Main Entrance, and Lobby.

 

"The focus remains on efficiency and related benefits, even with all the critical health-related priorities," said Adams. "This says a lot about leadership and the long-term view of building a sustainable healthcare community."