Geneva General Hospital gets $3.5M for energy upgrades

Geneva General Hospital gets $3.5M for energy upgrades Evan Bourtis News10NBC Hospital (file photo) GENEVA, N.Y. — Geneva General Hospital is among the eight hospitals across New York to get state funding for energy efficiency and electrification upgrades. The hospital will get $3.5 million to install a high-efficiency cooling plant, update the central building management system, and replace two aging air handling units. The project is expected to save the hospital more than $230,000 annually on energy costs and save enough energy to power more than 490 homes. The funding, totaling nearly $28 million across the eight hospitals, comes from the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). To secure the award, the hospitals entered the Empire Building Challenge, an award to support hospitals with plans to boost energy efficiency and improve their resilience. Lara Chatel Turbide, UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health’s Chief Operating Officer, released this statement: “We are thrilled to be able to make the capital investments in our health system to serve the community with greater efficiency and reinvest in our mission of exceptional care to the patients and families we serve. Once the upgrades are completed, we anticipate a significant reduction in our facility’s carbon footprint by reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency.” Rural hospitals facing financial challenges Geneva General and six of the other hospitals that received the award are in disadvantaged communities, according to the state. As News10NBC has covered , over 50% of rural hospitals in New York are in financial distress and at risk of closure. Some, such as the Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, have had to close their birthing centers. See some of our coverage here: Batavia patients can now get new heart scan in the ER at United Memorial Medical Center Ontario County’s growing population helps UR Thompson Health expand amid rural hospital crisis Newark-Wayne Community Hospital officially ends birthing services Wayne County joins Yates and Seneca as ‘birthing desert’