Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Wilkes Medical Center has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star certification for superior energy performance.
Energy Star-certified buildings and plants are verified to perform in the top 25% of buildings nationwide, based on weather-normalized source energy use that takes into account occupancy, hours of operation and other key metrics. Energy Star is the only energy efficiency certification in the nation that is based on actual, verified energy performance.
“Saving energy is just one of the ways we show our community we care, and that we’re committed to doing our part to protect the environment and public health – today and for future generations,” said Chad Brown, president of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s south and west areas, which include Wilkes Medical Center. “We are honored to earn the Energy Star designation for superior energy performance and appreciate the efforts of everyone who has been involved in achieving this certification.”
Brown credited this achievement to the implementation of several strategies by the Wilkes Medical Center engineering operations team through a partnership with the Atrium Health energy services group. These efforts, which include upgrading the hospital’s central energy plant, installing outside air economizers to use cool outdoor air instead of air conditioning when possible and adding occupancy sensors and LED lighting, are part of an ongoing strategy to maintain and even improve upon the current reduction of energy consumption.
"Energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives go hand in hand,” said Michael Roberts, director of energy services for Atrium Health, part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health. “Thanks to Energy Star-certified buildings such as Wilkes Medical Center, we are well on our way to meeting our goal to be carbon neutral by 2030, which includes a pledge to reduce emissions by more than 50%.”
Atrium Health recently earned the 2024 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award from the EPA, and Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist is also part, was named a 2023 Health Care Climate Action Winner by Health Care Without Harm.
In Charlotte, “The Pearl” innovation district is under construction near uptown. At the heart of the innovation district will be the Howard R. Levine Center for Education, which will house the Charlotte campus of Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Slated to open in 2025, the education building is being built to a carbon-zero and LEED Gold Standard. It is believed this will be the first medical school in the U.S. to be a net-zero carbon facility. Wake Forest University School of Medicine is the academic core of Advocate Health.
“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment,” said Cindy Jacobs, chief of the Energy Star commercial and industrial branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA’s Energy Star certification.”
Atrium Health now has nine hospitals in North Carolina that have achieved Energy Star certification.
According to the EPA, on average, Energy Star-certified buildings use 35% less energy, cause 35% fewer greenhouse gas emissions and are less expensive to operate than their peers – all without sacrifices in performance or comfort.
Media contacts:
Jenna Kurzyna, jkurzyna@wakehealth.edu; Joe McCloskey, jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu