by Brianna Crandall — April 18, 2011—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing 30 Sunrise Senior Living communities as the first senior care facilities to earn EPA’s Energy Star for superior energy performance. The communities have upgraded to more efficient lighting and improved operations of heating and hot water systems to improve their energy efficiency and save money while contributing to cleaner air and protecting public health.
The 30 communities, located in eight states across the country, join more than 12,600 Energy Star certified commercial buildings, which are performing in the top 25 percent for energy efficiency when compared to similar buildings nationwide. Sunrise Senior Living owns 277 senior care communities in the United States, of which 11 percent are now Energy Star certified.
Nursing homes, assisted living communities, and certain types of continuing care retirement communities are now eligible to earn EPA’s Energy Star, in addition to 14 other commercial building types, such as schools and retail stores. EPA notes that if the more than 38,000 residential care communities in the U.S. each reduced its energy use by just 10 percent, they could save more than $150 million per year total.
For more information on Energy Management in Senior Care Facilities, visit the Energy Star Web site.
