St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital Earns Second ENERGY STAR® Certification

College Station, June 27, 2024 – St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital recently received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy performance. This is the second time St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital has received this certification. St. Joseph Health College Station is the first CommonSpirit Health facility and the only hospital in the Brazos Valley to receive this award. 

Jeff Spengler, CHFM, St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital Director of Facility Management, has spent the last three years focusing on making changes at the hospital, both small and large, that have added up to cost savings and significant energy efficiencies. When Spengler began this process of becoming energy efficient, College Station Hospital had an energy efficiency rating of 63. The building was certified with a score of 77, and now, the building has a score of 88. 

Measures taken included: 

● Fixing broken equipment 

● Ensuring temperatures were set appropriately throughout the building 

● Verifying temperature sensors on air handling units 

● Checking the operation of outside air dampers 

● Checking building automation systems for overrides and failed points 

● Lowering static pressure in air handling units so they run more efficiently 

These are just a few things that have been fixed to reduce energy usage while maintaining regulatory compliance and keeping the patients comfortable. Spengler and his team continue daily looking for more ways to reduce Commonspirit's impact on the environment. 

"Many of the changes we implemented were small, tedious efforts. We had to identify areas of opportunity, determine the best way to rectify the issue and implement that solution. The gains were seen when efforts were made collectively," said Spengler. "Once we started seeing the payoff from our efforts, we were encouraged to look for any area we could improve. Over the past three years, we have had a 20% reduction in utility costs and usage." 

ENERGY STAR®-certified buildings are verified to perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide based on weather-normalized source energy use that considers occupancy, hours of operation, and other vital metrics. ENERGY STAR® is the only energy efficiency certification in the United States that is based on actual, verified energy performance. 

“I am so proud that College Station Hospital has once again earned the ENERGY STAR® for superior energy performance,” said Kim Shaw, St. Joseph Health Market President and CEO. “This takes a huge amount of effort, but these efforts absolutely make a very noticeable impact. It is my hope that the work done at College Station Hospital spurs others in the community to also take steps to increase energy efficiencies.” 

Measures are in place to increase energy efficiencies across St. Joseph Health’s five hospitals. On average, ENERGY STAR®-certified buildings and plants use 35 percent less energy, cause 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and are less expensive to operate than their peers—all without sacrificing performance or comfort. 

To date, tens of thousands of buildings and plants across all fifty states have earned the ENERGY STAR®. For more information about ENERGY STAR for Buildings and Plants, visit www.energystar.gov/buildings.

About St. Joseph Health: St. Joseph Health is part of CommonSpirit Health, the largest Catholic health system and the second-largest nonprofit hospital chain in the United States. Since 1936, St. Joseph Health has been the Brazos Valley’s leader in providing high-quality, patient-centered health care. Our expansive network encompasses five hospitals, including St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital in Bryan, College Station Hospital, Madison Hospital, Grimes Hospital and Burleson Hospital. St. Joseph Health was the region’s first air medical service and the first in the region to be accredited as a Chest Pain Center and Primary Stroke Center. St. Joseph Health is an academic and clinical partner of Texas A&M Health Science Center. Working together, St. Joseph Health and the Texas A&M Health Network employ over 100 primary care physicians, specialists and advanced practice clinicians. To learn more, visit St-Joseph.org. 

[For more information, please contact Communications Manager, Tracy Bates at 713-962-9347 or [email protected].]