Energy efficiency to improve at KU Medical Center

Seven million dollars is the annual cost for utilities at KU Medical Center. And that's no April Fools' joke. On top of that, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will increase our rates by 15 percent in 2014, adding even higher costs to the years ahead. 

In response, we are asking the KUMC community to help reduce campus-wide energy consumption by 5 to 10 percent, which will also support our efforts to be conscientious planetary citizens. This cost-avoidance approach will help offset BPU's increase, which is especially important in light of looming state budget cuts. 

Meet Jeff Gilliland, KUMC energy manager
This is where Jeff Gilliland's expertise comes into play. Jeff is a KU electrical engineering graduate and certified energy manager with more than 20 years experience in the energy industry. He has been involved in all aspects of energy savings' projects in his career, with a combined savings of $21 million per year. He is now helping to identify and implement utility cost-saving projects here. 

In just the past six months, KUMC has saved (or avoided costs of) more than $115,000 through energy conservation efforts, like installing highly efficient LED lights and replacing inefficient air compressors. Many more cost savings efforts are in the works. 

Your call to action
With your help, we can meet and even exceed our consumption reduction goal. An energy savings potential of $350,000 to $700,000 per year is possible if everyone does their part. Simple actions like turning off your office lights and computer monitor every time you leave can add up to big savings. Click here for more ways you can help.

Additionally, we have declared April as our Energy Conservation Awareness month. In each KUMed Central issue in April, we will share an awareness message to help you understand how much we're spending on utilities. In the April 29 issue, you can take a quiz that covers conservation tips as well as information from the previous four weeks. Everyone who answers correctly will be entered into a drawing for compact fluorescent bulbs, so watch for the quiz at the end of the month. 

Beginning in May, we will launch a monthly conservation campaign. The monthly messages will present simple ideas and techniques that everyone can practice to help us reduce our utility spending. We will introduce each month's message in KUMed Central and in posters around campus. Together we can reduce our consumption and avoid unnecessary costs while being kind to our environment.   

By filling up a bottle in one of the new water fountains, Cori Ast, KUMC student and employee, supports the campus' conservation efforts. The counter on the fountain shows how many water bottles have been kept out of the landfills by using the fountain. This is just one way that KUMC is doing its part to preserve our planet. 

Don't forget Earth Day is April 22. Find out what you can do on your own to support our planet's sustainability: http://www.earthday.org/.