Providence St. Joseph Medical Center
6 - 13th Avenue
Polson, MT 59860
Map It!
After receiving its first ENERGY STAR Award in 2013, Providence St. Joseph Medical Center (PSJMC) became even more resolute in improving its devotion to energy efficiency and sustainability. In early 2014, the small Critical Access Hospital in rural Montana had its HVAC system fully commissioned and was able to implement minor changes to its program software to reduce peak energy consumption hours. The chiller’s capacity, which was originally thought to be undersized, was determined to be under piped, a much more affordable fix that has reduced electricity consumption during the long winter season in Polson. Furthermore, winning the award in 2013 brought a sense of pride to all employees at the hospital that made people want to become engaged in St. Joe’s, “Green Team.” PSJMC collaborated with its “sister” hospital, St. Patrick Hospital, in Missoula, MT, to implement a more robust recycling program than currently available in Lake County. Given that deliveries between the hospitals occur twice weekly, the collaborative waste reductions between the two hospitals has resulted in an improved used of resources. Furthermore, St. Joe’s continues to find opportunities to deploy occupancy sensors and other energy savers by conducting walk-through’s of the facility during non-peak hours. When only half of the hospital is used at night and on the weekends, the opportunities for efficiency seemed countless. Situated in the heart of The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, PSJMC has no access to natural gas and must thus rely predominately on diesel and electricity for its power. With the cost of diesel only increasing, small changes lead to large money savings, something any Administration likes to see. These savings have allowed for training opportunities for the Facilities Engineering staff where they learn about even more opportunities. The next big initiative planned for PSJMC is the installation of two electric boilers with on/off buttons to replace the diesel fed steam boiler that was disintegrating due to short cycling issues. PSJMC has committed to only buying LED lights when available, and will likely see a large increase in the use of LEDs on campus in 2015. Above all, PSJMC approaches its energy program as part of the environment of care. Providence Health & Services is committed to its Core Values in order to continue to treat the poor and vulnerable, and stewardship of resources is integral to fulfilling the call.
Communications:
Unavailable
Testimonial:
Unavailable
Please note: Narrative information in this profile has been provided by Providence Health & Services or a representative of this facility. Other building information was verified and submitted to EPA at the time of application. Building energy performance, operating characteristics, and ownership/management may be subject to change over time.
Building Owner:*
Providence Health & Services
Property Manager:*
N/A
Year(s) Labeled (Rating):
2013 (92)
2014 (91)
Facility Type: Hospital (General Medical & Surgical)
Total Floorspace: 101034 sf
Year Constructed: 1960
Contract Type: None
Technologies Used:
| Stage 1-Recommissioning |
| Stage 3-Load Reductions |
| Stage 5-Heating and Cooling Plant |