Photo credit - Energy Trust of Oregon

BUSINESS Success Story
Photo credit: Steve Cridland
a Prescription for
healthy facilities
“
Kaiser Permanente prioritizes energy efficiency
at its new Westside Medical Center
Kaiser Permanente is committed
to creating healthy communities,
and it’s critical we work to reduce
the impact of our operations on
the environment.
Bernard Tyson
”
president & chief operating officer
Kaiser Permanente
Portland’s Westside suburbs are the fastest-growing region of the greater
metropolitan area. This steady growth presented a perfect opportunity for
Kaiser Permanente to better serve its current and future members by building
not only the area's first new medical center in nearly 40 years, but also one of a
small number of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design®, LEED, Goldcertified medical centers in the world. Sustainability is a central part of creating
a total health environment, so it was natural that Kaiser Permanente work with
Energy Trust of Oregon to construct its new medical center. Reducing energy use
and associated greenhouse gas emissions aligns with the health organization’s
long-standing Environmental Stewardship program, which promotes clean air and
healthy communities. Energy-efficient strategies also lower operating costs and
create savings that can be directed to patient care.
Photo credit: Steve Cridland
Kaiser permanente
Project Team
• Project Architect—
Ellerbe Beckett/AECOM
• Central Utility Plant and Medical
Office Building Architect—
PKA Architects
• Structural Engineer—
Catena Consulting Engineers
• Mechanical, Plumbing and
Electrical Engineers—
Mazzetti Nash Lipsey Burch
• LEED Consulting—
Green Building Services
• Energy Modeling—
Mazzetti Nash Lipsey Burch
• Civil and Landscape Engineer—
WHPacific
• General Contractor—
Andersen Construction Company
Major construction is now complete on the 126-bed hospital, medical office building, central
utility plant and eight-story parking garage. When it opens its doors in August 2013, the new
Westside Medical Center campus will be a showcase of efficient and sustainable design.
Thanks to energy-saving and generating strategies, Kaiser Permanente expects the buildings
collectively to save 27 percent more energy than required by Oregon energy code. As a result,
the organization anticipates saving $232,000 in energy costs each year. Kaiser Permanente
also estimates that it will avoid releasing more than 2,200 metric tons of greenhouse gas
emissions into the air every year—the equivalent of taking 431 cars off the road.
Designing for energy wellness
The architecture firm Ellerbe Beckett/AECOM and engineering firm Mazzetti Nash Lipsey
Burch led several design charrettes for project stakeholders, including Kaiser Permanente
employees, members of the design and construction teams and Energy Trust representatives.
The organization’s ongoing commitment to eliminate or mitigate environmental contributors
to disease led it to design all four of the facilities to LEED Gold standards.
Fewer than 50 hospitals in the world have achieved this certification, which is understandable
given that hospitals are open around the clock and consume large amounts of energy. For
the center to join this small and prestigious group, the project team knew they had to win
LEED points for the design, including for energy savings. Just as important to the Kaiser
Permanente leadership team, the center had to be able to sustain those energy savings for
years to come. With help from Energy Trust, the team rigorously analyzed every energy
system to ensure favorable return on investment, sound lifecycle costs and significant
energy savings year after year. From sophisticated to simple, Kaiser Permanente invested in
numerous solutions for each facility.
Energy-efficient lighting
The team installed energy-efficient fixtures and lighting occupancy sensors throughout all
four facilities. Altogether, the organization expects to save 1,530,138 annual kilowatt hours,
kWh, of electricity from lighting alone—enough to power 207 Oregon homes for a year.
hospital at-a-glance
Overview
• 285,704 square feet
• 126 patient beds
Energy-saving features
• Energy-efficient fixtures and lighting
• High-performance building envelope
• Zoned heating and cooling system with
premium efficiency motors
• Heat recovery chiller
Energy Trust incentives
• $2,500 cash incentive for early design
assistance
• $25,000 cash incentive for energy
modeling
Photo credit: Steve Cridland
• $173,134 cash incentive for equipment
installations
• $34,328 cash incentive for building
commissioning
Daylighting
The campus buildings maximize windows and daylighting to further reduce lighting
needs. This strategy also conveys openness to the outside and sends a welcoming
message to Kaiser Permanente members and the public.
Zoned heating and cooling systems
The project team installed zoned heating and cooling systems with heat recovery
chillers and high-efficiency motors in the hospital, central utility plant and office
building. A zoned system increases energy efficiency by regulating heating and cooling
based on occupancy and room function. The organization expects these systems
together will save 902,404 annual kWh and 17,235 annual therms, with avoided
carbon emissions equal to taking 139 cars off the road.
Low-tech solutions
In addition to investing in energy-efficient systems, Kaiser Permanente employed
practical design strategies to increase the efficiency of campus buildings. To keep the
garage safely lit while also reducing energy use, the team coated the ceiling with white
paint. This simple strategy reflects light, which enabled the team to install half as many
lighting fixtures as a typical parking structure of similar size and to reduce the wattage
of those fixtures. Along with motion and daylighting sensors, the team expects the
garage to save almost 300,000 annual kWh, which is enough to power 27 Oregon
homes for a year.
Renewable energy
The team also included renewable energy in its plans because it would cover some of
the center’s energy needs without producing carbon emissions. The roof of the parking
garage features a 100-kilowatt, kW, solar electric array, which is estimated to produce
87,782 annual kWh of electricity.
Estimated energy savings
• 1,209,031 annual kWh
• 43,981 annual therms
Specialty Medical Office
Building at-a-glance
Overview
• 110,253 square feet
• 60 physician offices
• 90 exam rooms
Energy-saving features
• Energy-efficient fixtures and lighting
• Zoned heating and cooling system with
premium efficiency motors
Energy Trust incentives
• $14,141 cash incentive for energy
modeling
• $26,488 cash incentive for equipment
installations
• $1,626 cash incentive for building
commissioning
Estimated energy savings
• 172,590 annual kWh
• 750 annual therms
Parking garage
at-a-glance
Overview
• 342,000 square feet
• Eight stories
• 951 parking spaces
Energy-saving features
• Energy-efficient fixtures and lighting
with daylight and motion sensors
• White ceiling paint to reflect light
Energy-generating features
• 100-kW solar array
Energy Trust incentives
• $129,509 cash incentive for the solar
array
Photo credit: Steve Cridland
Delivering total health
With help from Energy Trust, Kaiser Permanente has created an outstanding
health care facility that meets its corporate goal of promoting total health.
Energy-efficient strategies reduce the impact of operations on the community
and the environment, and lower energy bills help control rising health care
costs.
“With our energy efficiency, we reduce the cost of services. With our
sustainable practices, we reduce our impact on the environment for the life of
the building,” said Dan Green, mechanical, electric and plumbing, LEED and
commissioning project director, Kaiser Permanente. “Energy Trust has helped
us create a healthy place of healing for patients, loved ones and caregivers.”
+
To learn more about energy solutions and cash incentives for your next
new construction or major renovation project, contact Energy Trust at
1.866.368.7878 or visit www.energytrust.org.
• $44,741 cash incentive for lighting
installations
Estimated energy savings
and generation
• 298,271 annual kWh
• 87,782 annual kWh generated by
solar array
central utility plant
at-a-glance
Overview
• 27,386 square feet
Energy-saving features
• Energy-efficient fixtures and lighting
• High-performance building envelope
• Zoned heating and cooling system with
premium efficiency motors
• Cooling tower VFDs
Energy Trust incentives
• $127,726 cash incentive for equipment
installations
• $25,000 cash incentive for energy
modeling
• $37,018 cash incentive for building
commissioning
Estimated energy savings
• 1,125,170 annual kWh
• 19,010 annual therms
Energy Trust of Oregon 421 SW Oak St., Suite 300, Portland, Oregon 97204 1.866.368.7878 503.546.6862
fax energytrust.org
Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping utility customers benefit from saving energy and tapping renewable resources. Our services, cash incentives and energy solutions
have helped participating customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas save on energy costs. Our work helps keep energy costs as low as possible, creates jobs and builds a
sustainable energy future. Printed with vegetable-based inks on paper that contains 100% post-consumer waste. 02/13