Lake Region Healthcare Teams Up With Otter Tail Power Company For Long-term Energy Savings

Lake Region Healthcare partnered with Otter Tail Power Company to implement energy conservation strategies throughout its main clinic expansion project. As a result, they will realize significant savings in long-term energy and maintenance costs.

Using Otter Tail Power Company’s Commercial Design Assistance (CDA) program, Lake Region Healthcare and its design team received guidance in evaluating potential energy-saving options for the new three-story 80,000-square-foot Fergus Falls clinic, which opened in December 2015. “What continually impressed me throughout this process were the commitment and openness of Lake Region Healthcare and its design team to incorporate energy-efficiency best practices,” said Senior Commercial Industrial Representative Chris Waltz.

During the design phase, Lake Region Healthcare selected a number of energy-saving electric technologies that put energy efficiency at the forefront of the project. “New buildings like this clinic are extremely dynamic. The interactions and intricacies of today’s electrical and mechanical systems can create challenges not only in the building’s functionality but also in energy-efficiency optimization,” said Waltz. “The CDA program offered Lake Region Healthcare a holistic approach from conception to implementation. The building can perform better for occupants while at the same time reducing energy consumption and operating costs.”

As a result of its energy-saving measures, Lake Region Healthcare will save more than 11 percent in electrical demand and nearly 16 percent in electricity consumption per year. Adding in their grant of more than $26,000, payback on the upgrade costs of their energy-efficient investments will be just over six years.

“It was great working with Otter Tail Power Company to develop and implement a plan to reduce energy cost,” said Lake Region Healthcare CEO Larry Schulz. “Our new building conserves energy, and we received a grant from them to boot. Lake Region Healthcare constantly is looking for ways to reduce cost, and the CDA program helped us identify opportunities to save on energy cost for years to come.”

Otter Tail Power Company’s Minnesota Conservation Improvement Program provides rebates, grants, education, special programs, and financing to encourage individuals and businesses to use electricity wisely. Learn more about this program on our Ways To Save page. 

Photo caption: Lake Region Healthcare received a grant of $26,000 from Otter Tail Power Company for incorporating energy conservation strategies into their main clinic expansion project. From left: Lake Region Healthcare CEO Larry Schulz, Senior Commercial Industrial Representative Chris Waltz, and Lake Region Healthcare Director of Facilities Management Mike Johnson.