REDWOOD CITY, CA—Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) presented a $92,518 rebate check to Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City this past Monday for their efforts in energy conservation, energy efficiency upgrades, and solar installation.
"I'm very happy with it! It's the largest rebate I've ever seen," emphasized John Folk, Director of Facility Services at Kaiser.
Two years ago, PG&E performed an extensive energy audit at the facility and recommended steps to replace or upgrade their old equipment. By replacing the aging cooling system with two big chiller towers that supply cooling water to the 205,000 square-foot hospital, which includes 45,000 square feet of medical offices as well, a bold step to improve energy efficiency was made.
The energy conservation efforts not only generated a one-time rebate check of $92,518 but will also save the facility 734,354 kWh every year. That is the equivalent of powering 107 homes for a year or taking 56 cars off the road each year while preventing 403 tons of greenhouse gases from being emitted into the atmosphere.
According to Joe Molica, spokesman for PG&E, the company's energy efficiency programs have helped customers save nearly $10 billion over the past three decades.
Across Northern and Central California, Kaiser Permanente completed six energy conservation projects in partnership with PG&E in 2006. The encouraging progress on energy efficiency has propelled the not-for-profit healthcare provider to complete another 15 new energy conservation projects in 2007. The combined energy savings has earned the healthcare carrier a total of $1.6 million in rebates in 2007 alone.
Kaiser and PG&E's initiatives have notably caught attention from community leaders, who gathered in Redwood City to give congratulations to the hospital.
Redwood City Supervisor Rich Gordon recognized the direct link between energy conservation, climate change, human health, and human healthcare. "Our society and our country are increasing their understanding of the issues of climate change, global warming, and all of its impacts."
Rosanne Foust, Vice Mayor of Redwood City remarked, "When you're a part of local government, thinking of corporations like Kaiser Permanente and Pacific Gas & Electric, you can now say this is what you want in your community; this is what you want for you and your children."
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