Edgerton Hospital Makes Big Gains in Sustainability With Geothermal System
As the largest employer in its city of 5,000, when Edgerton Hospital made the decision to replace its aging and increasingly expensive facility, it was a big deal. Perhaps an even bigger deal was the fact that the hospital’s administration made a commitment to put sustainability at the forefront of this project – a decision not to be taken lightly in an industry as energy-intensive as healthcare. After two and a half years of planning, the hospital received funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to re-build in 2010 with the guiding principles of energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, and sustainability. These principles were incorporated into the project through innovations such as green roofs, natural light sources, water efficient landscaping, and organic building materials. The real showstopper for this project, however, was a geothermal system that would heat and cool the hospital.
Designing and installing such a system for the new hospital was an ambitious goal – there would be significant initial costs, a concern which was expressed by larger hospitals also interested in implementing renewable energy. Despite these concerns, the hospital’s administration persevered. “We moved forward wanting to be responsive, not only to the environment, but to the health and wellness of our patients, our community served, and our employees,” said Susan Alwin-Popp, long-time member of the hospital’s administration and current Vice President of Clinical Services/Chief Clinical Officer, in an interview with the Wisconsin Environmental Health Network (WEHN).
With the help of Federal Housing Administration financing, Edgerton Hospital moved forward with plans for the geothermal system. In doing so, Edgerton would become the first hospital in the state of Wisconsin and the first critical access hospital in the United States to install a geothermal heating and cooling system. The groundbreaking nature of this project meant that the state of Wisconsin did not have any existing regulatory guidelines for the use of geothermal energy in healthcare facilities. This served as an obstacle to getting the rebuilding started, as state officials had to spend time on the site writing regulations for future projects of the same nature.
The geothermal system, which relies on the earth’s natural temperature to heat and cool the hospital, is made up of 293 wells at a depth of 285 feet. At the time of construction, it was projected that it would take 11 years to recoup the $850,000 cost of this system. However, the hospital excitedly announced in 2017 that in just 5 years after its installation, the system’s cost had been fully recouped. Not only that, but the hospital was saving about $15,000 a month in energy as a result. Using the momentum from this financial success, the hospital further improved their energy efficiency with the installation of LED light bulbs and self-timing lights, as well as the transfer of these features and more to their Milton clinic.
With the success of their rebuilding, Edgerton Hospital was solidified as a leader for sustainability both in the community and outside of it. According to Alwin-Popp, the Edgerton community looks at the hospital “not only to meet healthcare needs, but to be a leader, to share.” This leadership extends outside of the small town of Edgerton, as healthcare facilities across the state have reached out to Edgerton Hospital for tours, cost-benefit analyses, and guidance on conducting similar projects.
“Healthcare has to go beyond just meeting your healthcare needs. We have to show you we’re very responsive. We understand climate change, we get it.”
By prioritizing not only the health of patients and staff, but also the health of the environment, Edgerton Hospital’s approach to healthcare fits well within its “Healthy Village” model of promoting community health and wellness through high quality and sustainable technologies, building materials, and systems that allow healing of the mind, body, and soul. “Healthcare has to go beyond just meeting your healthcare needs. We have to show you we’re very responsive. We understand climate change, we get it. I am so proud because we’ve made that connection here in Edgerton,” said Alwin-Popp. With this approach, Edgerton Hospital plans to continue its sustainability journey, serving as a prime example for healthcare by recognizing and addressing the intersections between health and the environment.
This article is part of a project funded by the Energy Foundation with the aim of highlighting stories that illustrate the benefits of clean energy investments, climate action, emissions and air pollution reductions, and/or policies that make progress possible in Wisconsin.
We would like to thank Edgerton Hospital and Health Services for their cooperation and coordination in helping us to highlight their story of sustainable success.