Sustainability and Social Justice

Date of Award

5-2016

Degree Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Dual Degree Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in Environmental Science and Policy (MBA/ESP)

Department

International Development, Community and Environment

Chief Instructor

Greg Trencher

Second Reader

Will O'Brien

Keywords

sub-meter, energy efficiency, hospital, healthcare

Abstract

The natural world finds itself placed in an ever more precarious position as climate change is continually exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels. Achieving greater energy efficiency in resource intensive industries has emerged as part of the immediate solution to this problem, a solution which can be financially, environmentally, and socially beneficial. Healthcare is one such industry where energy efficiency has high relevance. With hospitals operating 24/7 and energy intensive equipment running all day long, the healthcare industry offers high potential for successful building energy efficient retrofits. Yet it also faces many unique barriers. This paper identifies some of the most prevalent barriers to the industry by presenting the results of a sub-metering consulting project conducted at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Medical Center. Through constructing a baseline for energy consumption and drawing on a variety of academic resources, the project was able to build a successful business case for sub-meter installation, the first step to better energy management in any large organization.

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