The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) has been awarded the 2024 Energy Star Partner of the Year—Sustained Excellence Award for the sixth consecutive year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, highlighting ASHE’s ongoing commitment to sustainability in health facilities management.

“It’s an honor to accept this award on behalf of ASHE’s members, who are continuing to carry out the hard work of decarbonizing healthcare facilities,” says Kara Brooks, ASHE senior associate director of sustainability. “ASHE is excited to build upon its past successes to help hospitals across the country reach their sustainability goals.”

ASHE has received the Energy Star Partner of the Year Award for eight consecutive years. They offer hospitals tailored sustainability resources and programs, including the Energy to Care Program, which assists hospitals in tracking sustainability metrics and improving efficiency to allocate energy and water savings to patient care.

Energy to Care is one of ASHE’s key offerings under the banner of its Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care, which also encompasses challenges, hosted programs, tools, and publications to raise awareness about the importance of decarbonization and advance sustainable practices across the healthcare field. ASHE’s efforts have contributed to increased efficiency in hospitals across the country in the following ways:

  • Hospitals in the Energy to Care program have saved more than $550 million (and counting) in collective energy savings.
  • More hospitals are making the commitment to energy efficiency. In 2014, 239 facilities participated in Energy to Care. Today, more than 4,400 facilities are participating.
  • More hospitals are reducing energy use quickly. In 2023, 78 hospitals earned an Energy to Care Award by reducing energy consumption by 10% in a single year or 15% over two years. Additionally, 10 facilities won a Sustainability Champion Award and 32 facilities maintained top-tier energy performance to earn Sustained Performance awards.
  • More hospitals are reaching major efficiency accomplishments. The number of healthcare facilities in ASHE’s Energy to Care Program with Energy Star scores of 75 or more has increased from 110 in 2010 to 823 in 2023, with 53 hospitals and 271 medical offices earning Energy Star certification last year.

The Sustained Excellence Award is the top honor from the Energy Star program, acknowledging recipients for their long-term commitment to energy efficiency, climate action, and public health. Selected from a broad network of partners, these winners demonstrate leadership in environmental responsibility and contribute to the well-being of the nation. 

For a comprehensive list of 2024 awardees and additional information about Energy Star’s recognition program, visit energystar.gov/awardwinners.