Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) presented Backus Hospital, part of the Hartford Healthcare System, with a rebate check for $46,635 following the successful completion of a recent energy-efficiency upgrade during a brief ceremony on Monday afternoon, July 15, 2019.

In addition to the rebate, Backus Hospital will save an estimated $88,017 in annual energy costs going forward.

“Backus Hospital is an essential part of our community and they clearly understand that investing in energy-efficiency will pay dividends for years to come,” said Chris LaRose, Acting General Manager of NPU. “We’ve worked with the outstanding team at Backus on a number of projects over the years and look forward to partnering with them again in the future.”

In late 2018, Backus Hospital conducted an evaluation of the performance of their heating system to see if they could identify ways of improving its performance. Following this analysis, they determined that insulating the pipes, valves and fittings throughout their facility would make a significant difference. By reducing heat loss and directing more energy toward the intended point of use, Backus achieved greater efficiency which will lead to energy savings in the future.

This project is the latest example of the NPU / Backus Hospital partnership. Over the past two years, Backus undertook a campus-wide LED lighting upgrade which qualified for a rebate of $22,000 from NPU and resulted in estimated annual energy savings of $21,300.

NPU offers programs for commercial and industrial customers that are customized for the size and nature of the business. Programs for commercial and industrial customers include incentives and/or rebates for lighting retrofits, HVAC upgrades, new construction and natural gas equipment upgrades.