Green medical practice tips: Going green in your medical office is great for the environment…and for your overhead spending. One of the greatest money-saving energy efficiency strategies involves cutting down on lighting costs. Then why are so many “green” medical practices doing it wrong?
Lighting costs make up about 40% of your medical practice’s total energy consumption. Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs is a great way to help the environment while also cutting costs for your medical clinic, but it’s only the first step…
Beyond the bulb
Installing the right energy-efficient, government-compliant light bulbs in your practice will only take you so far; by installing lighting control parameters, you can increase your savings, receive valuable tax incentives, and sustain your compliance as a green medical business. Efficient lighting control can be as simple as setting a dimmer switch or timer on your overhead lights, or it can involve setting up an in-building control panel that is compatible with other programmable devices, such as air conditioning, thermostats, or automatic blinds for your medical building.Green medical construction and lighting
Here are some features to ask for before installing a control system for energy efficiency:- Programmable settings for dimming or switching off lights
- Illumination levels that vary per room, as needed
- Sensors that dim or switch off lights when patient or doctor rooms are unoccupied
- Photo sensors that balance natural and artificial lighting
- Central lighting control
- Energy control reporting, feedback
- Compatibility with utility demand management programs that cut costs during peak medical office hours
- Compliance with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)