EPA Honors NewYork-Presbyterian With ENERGY STAR Award for Sustained Excellence

Highest ENERGY STAR Honor Recognizes Hospital's Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Energy Efficiency<br/><br/>NewYork-Presbyterian Is Only Hospital Honored with Award More Than Once

Apr 7, 2008

NEW YORK

Recognizing its leadership in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is the only hospital to be honored more than once by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with an ENERGY STAR Award.

NewYork-Presbyterian is also the only hospital in New York state to receive a 2008 award for "Sustained Excellence," the highest ENERGY STAR honor. The Hospital's fourth consecutive ENERGY STAR award will be bestowed at an April 1 ceremony in Washington, D.C.

"I am very proud that NewYork-Presbyterian has been recognized for our continuing commitment to improving energy efficiency — an investment in the future that benefits our patients, the environment and our bottom line," says Dr. Herbert Pardes, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. "Once again, I commend the leadership of our energy team, who are exceptionally dedicated to achieving our energy goals."

Improvement projects undertaken at NewYork-Presbyterian over the past year have reduced energy use by 7 percent, saving more than $2 million — the equivalent of generating $43 million in new revenues. Significant energy investments include a co-generation plant, to be completed in October, that will save an estimated $5 million annually. In addition, two new buildings are being constructed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards: the Vivian and Seymour Milstein Family Heart Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and the First Avenue development at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

And, as a participant in the ENERGY STAR "Change a Light, Change the World" campaign, NewYork-Presbyterian partnered with GE Supply to give away hundreds of free energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to employees who took a pledge to replace at least one light in their home.

Total energy reductions achieved by NewYork-Presbyterian since joining the ENERGY STAR program in 2003 are nearly 9,000 tons of CO2.

Previously, NewYork-Presbyterian won "Partner of Year" awards for Leadership in Energy Management (2005 and 2006) and a "Sustained Excellence" award (2007). The Hospital has been an ENERGY STAR partner since 2003.

Just over 74 businesses and organizations received awards this year, selected from a pool of more than 12,000 businesses and organizations participating in the ENERGY STAR partner program.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,242 beds. The Hospital has nearly a million patient visits in a year, including more than 220,000 visits to its emergency departments — more than any other area hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Allen Pavilion and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the largest and most comprehensive health-care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. It ranks sixth in U.S.News & World Report's guide to "America's Best Hospitals," ranks first on New York magazine's "Best Hospitals" survey, has the greatest number of physicians listed in New York magazine's "Best Doctors" issue, and is included among Solucient's top 15 major teaching hospitals. The Hospital is ranked with among the lowest mortality rates for heart attack and heart failure in the country, according to a 2007 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report card. The Hospital has academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR Program

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 12,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).