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Aurora Medical Center Oshkosh one of 13 to receive Energy to Care Sustainability Champion awards
Thirteen Advocate Health hospitals have received Energy to Care Sustainability Champion awards from the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE), reflecting the health system’s steadfast commitment to sustainability.
Energy to Care is ASHE’s award-winning sustainability program dedicated to helping health care facilities track their energy use, water and emissions reduction efforts and celebrates hospitals and health systems that go above and beyond in achieving their sustainability goals. The Sustainability Champion Award is the Energy to Care Program’s highest distinction.
The award was given to just 21 health care facilities nationwide. To qualify, a hospital must achieve an Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher, possess ENERGY STAR certification, and diligently track energy, water and greenhouse gas emissions. The site must also be able to represent sustainability measures taken above and beyond peer applicants. ASHE is part of the American Hospital Association.
“We’re fully committed to the health of our communities, and that includes doing our part to ensure people have healthy environments where they live and work,” said Michael Roberts, director of energy services for Atrium Health. “I’m grateful for the work being done by our teammates every day that led to this recognition.”
Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, was formed in 2022 with the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Advocate Health hospitals who received the star are:
- Atrium Health Lincoln
- Atrium Health Mercy
- Atrium Health Pineville
- Atrium Health Union
- Aurora Lakeland Medical Center
- Aurora Medical Center – Burlington
- Aurora Medical Center – Grafton
- Aurora Medical Center – Manitowoc County
- Aurora Medical Center – Oshkosh
- Aurora Medical Center – Summit
- Aurora Sinai Medical Center
- Aurora St. Luke’s South Shore Medical Center
- Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center
Additionally, several hospitals and clinics won the ASHE Sustained Performance award for hospitals that continued to accomplish sustainability goals for further reducing or maintaining reduced emissions.
“It’s an honor for our facilities operations teams to be recognized by ASHE as top performers across the nation, maintaining national high marks in energy use per square foot of our non-acute, ambulatory and hospital fleet,” said Jedd Winkler, energy program manager for Aurora Health Care.
Advocate Health has made a pledge to its communities to advance sustainability, signing the Health and Human Services Health Sector Climate Pledge, an initiative housed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to encourage organizations to enact emission reduction and climate resilience goals.