Duke rewards Putnam County Hospital for efficiency efforts

Putnam County Hospital CEO Dennis Weatherford accepts a $114,263 check from Duke Energy Account Associate Jessie Jackman. The hospital received the incentive for energy efficiency upgrades. Also present for the event are (from left) Duke Trade Ally Outreach Representative Dan Simpson, PCH Plant Operations Director Jeff Mace, Duke Senior Program Manager Andy Taylor and Siemens Building Technologies General Manager Antony Nolan.

Banner Graphic/Jared Jernagan

In making upgrades that will actually save on its Duke Energy bill, Putnam County Hospital recently received a large incentive from the energy provider.

Representatives from Duke and Siemens Building Technologies recently visited the Greencastle hospital to present a check for $114,263.

The money comes as an incentive for the hospital upgrading its HVAC controls, thus improving efficiency and comfort.

PCH Director of Plant Operations Jeff Mace worked with Siemens to retro commission the 39-year-old building’s air handling units and bring them up to current standards.

This includes the utilization of variable frequency drives that deliver only the energy needed at a given time, as opposed to some of the old units that ran at full blast all the time.

The upgrades represent about $110,000 in electrical savings annually.

“It’s about a third of our annual electrical bill,” Mace said. “It gives me a lot more control of the building as well.”

“This place needed it,” Mace added. “You have to look forward at energy efficiency for sustainability.”

“And it improves patient health,” Duke Senior Program Manager Andy Taylor added.

Hospital CEO Dennis Weatherford said that the energy savings are a boon to the community in the form of improved and increased patient service.

“Sustainability-wise, both for reduced energy and finances, projects like this are vital to us providing increased services,” Weatherford said. “This allows us to redirected that money into increased services.”

Mace added that it’s also a bit of repayment for the money PCH sends to Duke each month.

“It’s nice to get some of that money back that we put into our bills,” Mace said.