By Douglas H Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs -- If the term gold standard signifies a benchmark to go by, then Naval Hospital Bremerton’s (NHB) Facilities Management Department is officially good as gold.
NHB was one of only two Navy Military Treatment Facilities recognized by the Secretary of the Navy's Energy and Water Management Award program for Fiscal Year 2016 by receiving a Gold Level award for the command’s ‘very good to outstanding energy or water program.’
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus presented NHB – represented by Capt. David K. Weiss, NHB Commanding Officer and Lt. j.g. Kristin Piester, Facility Engineering Manager - the Certificate of Achievement as a ‘Gold Award Winner for the command’s efforts in increased energy efficiency and water efficiency.
Naval Hospital Bremerton initiated a command energy policy on Sept. 10, 2015 that specifically instructs hospital personnel to actively improve and maintain energy and water efficiency.
“Energy conservation is something that is almost never an emergency, so it’s easy to put it aside for ‘another day.’ Therefore, it takes a concerted and consistent effort to make the many small gains which eventually accumulate in a significant overall savings. In other words, as in many areas, consistency and perseverance is the key to success,” said Russell Kent, NHB Facility Manager.
According to Weiss, the award recognizes various energy and water conservation command initiatives, including the existence of robust and well managed policies, official appointment and training of key energy personnel, appropriate use of technology and traditional and non-traditional initiatives leading to a decrease in consumption, prioritization of conservation-related facility projects, performance of energy audits and surveys, use of energy efficient products and services, and even the use of alternative fueled vehicles.
“In other words, this award is a result of awareness and attention to energy conservation by the entire Naval Hospital Bremerton team, both clinical and administrative,” stated Weiss.
The awareness and attention to detail were many, with the Facilities Management team providing the lead.
Robert Mitchell, NHB Environmental and Energy Manager, named overlapping s proposals such as implementing staff training, a command energy policy, continued focus on culture and behavior awareness, shared energy tips on the command’s official Facebook page and internal Plan of the Week; occupancy sensors added throughout the command in rooms and carrying out multiple projects to an concerted effort to make a difference.
When asked what efforts have been the most beneficial at NHB, Mitchell replied, “Increased staff awareness, utilizing the command energy policy, changing behavior to help converse energy and involving senior leadership.”
For staff awareness, for example, newly reported staff - military and civilians - attend mandatory orientation, which includes topics regarding NHB environmental policies, such as the proper segregation and disposal of wastes, management of hazardous materials, Environmental Management System awareness and implementation, pollution prevention goals, objectives and targets, and recycling program.
Additionally, environmental staff participates in Environment of Care rounds, inspecting all spaces at least annually to verify compliance with all environmental programs and to identify trouble areas for additional attention and resolution.
Piester noted that there have been a number of facilities projects completed to increase the overall efficiency of NHB’s mechanical and utility systems.
“A large scale renovation of the heating and ventilation systems included upgrades and replacements of our deteriorated system to improve energy efficiency and consumption. Phase 1 of this Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) upgrade was completed this past fiscal year which installed new equipment, adjusted the controls, valves, dampers, and corrected duct leaks to improve recirculation of air and reduce our heating and cooling requirements. Phase 2 of the HVAC upgrade is currently underway,” explained Piester, adding that a comprehensive energy project was also completed with re-lamping light fixtures throughout the common areas of the hospital.
“New light emitting diode – LED - light fixtures have been installed in the hallway and mechanical spaces that include light harvesting and daylight sensors which reduce the energy used during daylight hours when natural lighting is adequate,” Piester said.
Other energy saving projects at NHB include retrofitting restroom water fixtures, and an installation of a high efficiency step-down transformer.
Just as NHB has maintained a strong relationship with the surrounding community in environmental stewardship projects over the years, the command has also coordinated with internal partners in energy and water efficiency and conservation, renewable energy implementation and sustainable practices for high-performance buildings.
“Our maintenance contractor, Chugach, plays a significant role in energy savings. Timely and decisive actions are necessary to ensure equipment is finely tuned and deficiencies such as leaks or inoperable controls are responded to and corrected immediately. Chugach is continually looking for energy savings during the normal course of their duties. Energy savings is not free, and sacrifices must be made, however I think we can all agree that donning an extra sweater in the winter is well worth the contribution of fuel for the fleet,” said Mitch Hailey, Facility Operations Manager, who monitors all NHB’s energy usage and looks for ways to improve utilization.
Water conservation projects by NHB for increased water efficiency included replacing 335 sink faucets with low flow, motion-activated units that decreased water use while increasing patient convenience and health by installing low-flow touchless automatic faucets. The project is expected to annually save 622,000 gallons of water, with accompanying utility cost savings of $6,560.
Situated on Dyes Inlet, NHB relationship with the waters of Puget Sound has always been one of an adjoining partnership, and one well beyond just relegated to monitoring daily water usage.
That link, along with the environmental stewardship efforts, has been a hallmark of the command. So much so that when the Washington State Department of Ecology sought input several years earlier for help crafting a policy on keeping toxic metals out of the environment, they knew where to turn.
They asked NHB’s Environmental Division to share how they keep the surrounding waters free of toxins - specifically mercury, lead and cadmium - as well as any other types of medical waste.
“Navy Hospital Bremerton implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS), which describes the organizational structure, responsibilities, practices, processes and resources for implementing and maintaining environmental management,” said Chad Fisher, Toxics Reduction Specialist, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program, Washington State Department of Ecology. “An integral aspect of an EMS is continuous evaluation of processes, identification of improvement opportunities and implementation of those opportunities. NHB embraced this approach to waste management, as demonstrated through programs to eliminate mercury containing devices, converting to digital radiography, and developing a pharmaceutical waste management program. NHB’s use of an EMS provides the structure, support, and accountability necessary to pursue a goal such as elimination of toxic metals.”
“We constantly emphasize doing the right thing and minimizing the impact on what we do to the environment,” said Ramon Calantas, NHB Environmental Division technician.
The background for the Energy and Water Management Award program notes that the Department of the Navy has two specific methods for collecting energy and water performance data from each installation. NHB was required to report energy and water performance data as it pertains to applicable laws, regulations, Executive Orders and policies. The data and accompanying information collected are then used to develop the Department of Energy Annual Report to Congress on Federal Government Energy Management.
In associated with the submission facts and figures, the Secretary of the Navy recognizes deserving installation like NHB.
| Date Taken: | 10.21.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2016 11:50 |
| Story ID: | 212727 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 109 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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