Energy Council Formed; Initial Campaign Expected to Save Company $5 Million
In the beginning of 2009, Brookdale Senior Living, one of the leading providers of senior living residences in the nation, formed an Energy Council that has proven to benefit residents, families, and associates. During the Energy Council’s first initiative, to change to more energy efficient lighting, the company expects to realize savings of more than $5 million annually.
The Energy Council is a hand-picked team of Brookdale Senior Living executives representing various departments, including Clinical, Interior Design, Asset Management, Finance, Procurement, Operations, and Optimum Life,® that investigate and prioritize opportunities of energy demand reduction and monitor results and progress.
The goal of the team is to ultimately be responsible for the company’s energy usage, both for this and future generations, by tracking, reviewing and reducing, if possible, energy usage.
“Brookdale Senior Living is committed to providing the opportunity of living an Optimum Life to its residents and associates. Oftentimes, activities and programs are most thought of when referring to and pursuing an Optimum Life in a Brookdale community, but the environment plays a role as well,” said Sara Terry, vice president of Optimum Life for Brookdale.
Optimum Life is a way of life exclusively for Brookdale Senior Living residents and associates in which whole person wellness is achieved through fulfillment in six key dimensions - physical, emotional, purposeful, social, spiritual, and intellectual. Through the six dimensions of wellness, opportunities are provided for residents and associates to choose a healthy lifestyle that adds value and fulfillment to their lives.
One of the first projects is to change to more energy efficient lighting in Brookdale communities, more than 550 in 35 states.
“The Asset Management and Operations staff in the field have truly come together during this particular project,” said Dave Hammonds, senior vice president of asset management for Brookdale. “They have performed an impressive and incredible job. We applaud their hard work and dedication to make a significant difference in our communities.”
“To date, the lighting initiative has been completed in more than 260 communities, and more than 130,000 lamps have been changed,” said Jeff Patton, vice president of procurement for Brookdale Senior Living. “The lighting initiative has been divided into three phases, and will deliver nearly $10,000,000 in savings annually.”
In these communities, Brookdale has increased the lighting while reducing the energy output.
“Families and residents have responded favorably to this initiative,” said Terry. “It shows we are a responsible corporate citizen, and there is a personal commitment from the parent company of the community to manage green opportunities.”
Before any alterations are made, extensive research is done, including industry standards, psychology and physiology behind lighting levels, building and company standards, and more.
“We are not making changes just for the sake of making changes,” said Patton. “Everything we do is research-based, and design is a critical factor as well. Residents and associates will reap benefits from the changes made, both in an obvious and a subtle manner.”
“In addition, we rely heavily on direct feedback from residents, families and staff,” said Patton.
For example, after changing lighting levels at Sterling House Goodlettsville, an assisted living community in Tennessee, a nurse commented that the new lights gave her headaches. The Energy Council listened, researched and responded by looking at alternative products that better met our needs.
“This initiative is a change in culture. We need to always be thinking of how to be responsible in every aspect of community living,” said Terry. “We hope this translates not only to staff, but also empowers residents and family members to start thinking the same way.”
The next phase of the Energy Council lighting initiative is to move forward in all remaining communities, which is expected to occur by early 2010.
“While there is still a tremendous effort underway for completing phase two and three of the lighting initiative, the Energy Council is already investigating other green initiatives on energy saving HVAC equipment and irrigation systems that reduce water use,” said Patton. “The Energy Council will have ongoing initiatives, representing our continuous commitment to our environment.”
Back to Press Room