Two Rivers, Wis. – Aurora Health Center is well accustomed to saving lives in its everyday operations, but behind closed doors, the medical center has also excelled at saving energy. The hospital’s recent upgrades demonstrate its noteworthy dedication to advancing energy efficiency in its facility, which is why FOCUS ON ENERGY® selected Aurora Health as one of its 2020 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award recipients.

The award honors Focus on Energy customers who have shown a commitment to leading in energy efficiency – something Aurora Health Center has certainly done in partnership with its utility provider, Two Rivers Water & Light, a WPPI Energy member. The medical center works to prioritize the implementation of energy-efficient measures to minimize its carbon footprint. The facility even earned an ENERGY STAR® Certification for making consistent efforts to advance its energy efficiency journey.

Aurora Health recently installed and implemented a full-building automation system to help track and analyze energy use throughout its facility. In addition, the hospital installed solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on its building to lower energy costs and reduce energy waste even further. The panels include a 60-kilowatt solar array, which demonstrates an impressive advancement into renewable energy.

Each year, Aurora Health searches for new opportunities to engage in energy-saving projects, ranging from lighting upgrades to HVAC improvements. The medical center also participates in WPPI’s onsite generation program for emergency backup use to incorporate energy savings wherever possible.

Aurora Health was nominated for the Excellence Award by an energy services representative from its utility provider, Two Rivers Water & Light. The representative recognized the company’s commitment to extending its services beyond patients by using energy efficiency to help sustain the health of the community and the environment.

“Aurora is key to our community and we are proud to serve them and work with them,” said Ken Kozak, electric utility director at Two Rivers Water and Light. “Aurora not only has the desire to be the best healthcare provider but also to be top tier in safety, reliability, environmental responsibility and efficiency.”

Speaking towards the company’s dedication to energy efficiency, Aurora Health is one of the few establishments with a net-zero carbon emission goal currently in place. This foresight further demonstrates the hospitals longtime advocacy of sustainable practices and positions it as a leader in the energy efficiency space.

Aurora Health’s commitment to improving the life of Wisconsinites beyond those who seek the medical center’s services encompasses its community-minded nature and highlights the company as a well-deserved winner of Focus on Energy’s Excellence Award.

Focus on Energy is working with utility companies across the state throughout September and October to present Energy Efficiency Excellence Awards to 14 outstanding businesses.

Focus on Energy partners with 107 utilities across the state to offer energy expertise and financial incentives to residents and businesses that choose to reduce energy waste. A third-party evaluation last year revealed Wisconsin runs the most cost-effective energy efficiency programs in the nation, in terms of energy savings per dollar spent. A separate evaluation released this year found every $1 invested in Focus on Energy generates $4.80 in benefits for Wisconsin, including economic benefits, reduced energy costs and reduced pollution.