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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital with a 2013 ENERGY STAR Combined Heat and Power Award (CHP) for the hospital's highly efficient combined heat and power system at its Weill Cornell Medical Center campus.

The hospital's cogeneration plant, which opened in 2009, is a state-of-the-art system that provides combined heat and power (CHP), effectively creating a self-generating source of electricity and heat for the campus. By having its own CHP plant, the hospital is better protected from blackouts during weather-related events, ensuring that patient care can continue uninterrupted and that vital assets such as medical research facilities, diagnostic laboratories, and pharmaceutical supplies are safeguarded.

An additional benefit of the cogeneration plant is its efficiency. The plant uses 27 percent less fuel than traditional methods of power supply. This improved efficiency prevents some 21,500 pounds of carbon dioxide entering the air — about the same as the amount released by more than 2,400 homes.

This modern system generates up to 7.5 megawatts of electricity in a plant the size of a tractor trailer and produces up to 70,000 pounds of steam per hour. The steam is used to provide heating and hot water for staff and patients in an eco-friendly way.

The EPA has long championed the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's efforts in sustainability. On March 26, the hospital is receiving its eighth Partner of the Year Award for Sustained Excellence in Energy Management. The awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The 2013 Partner of the Year Awards for Sustained Excellence in Energy Management are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals and employing innovative energy-efficiency approaches. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program, including energy-efficient products, services, new homes, and buildings in the commercial, industrial, and public sectors. Award winners are selected from the nearly 20,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

"EPA is recognizing NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for earning EPA's highest ENERGY STAR award — the 2013 Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence Award," said Bob Perciasepe, acting administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital leads the field with its commitment to energy efficiency and demonstrates how all Americans can save energy, save money, and create a healthier environment."

"NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is committed to increasing energy efficiency through our partnership with ENERGY STAR, which helps protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Dr. Steven J. Corwin, CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. "Sustainability efforts are not only beneficial to the environment, but they help to promote good health and well-being, an integral part of our patient care and community service mission as an academic medical center."

The CHP Award was presented in San Diego on February 20, 2013, and the Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence Award will be presented in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 2013.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,409 beds. The Hospital has nearly 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a year, including 12,797 deliveries and 195,294 visits to its emergency departments. NewYork-Presbyterian's 6,144 affiliated physicians and 19,376 staff provide 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, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the most comprehensive health care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. 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.

ENERGY STAR

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. Nearly 20,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, and buildings. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).