Choate Mental Health & Developmental Center
Anna, Illinois
Intern: Rick Miller
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
The Choate Mental Health and Development Center is a state facility that provides
care for people with mental health needs and developmental disabilities. The
facility, which is located in Anna, houses over 250 patients and employs about
600 personnel. Electricity and steam for the facility is provided
by an on-site coal-fired power plant that burns over 13,000 tons of coal a
year.
The intern projects focused on opportunities to increase lighting efficiency
and minimize cafeteria waste.
Anticipated Results:
The facility could save over $113,000 per year and decrease energy use on-site
by 45 % by implementing the following lighting upgrade recommendations:
- Replace all remaining T-12 fluorescent, T-12 U-shaped and Circline lamps
with T-8 lamps and electronic ballasts.
- Replace all incandescent exit signs with energy efficient LED exit signs.
- Install motion sensors in bathrooms and activity rooms.
An extensive solid waste audit was performed in several cafeterias throughout
the complex. The facility could minimize cafeteria waste by:
- Replacing family-style meals with a more common cafeteria-style meal. This
has the potential to decrease the amount of food waste by about 15 percent,
saving the facility $27,000 a year.
- Replacing tray serving with cafeteria-style serving to reduce the amount
of energy consumed to cook, refrigerate and then re-heat meals. This
has the potential to save Choate $24,000 per year.
|
