By 1812Blockhouse
OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital does not look much different from any other modern medical center. Patients still arrive through the same sliding doors. Elevators hum, monitors blink, and the steady rhythm of care continues around the clock. What has changed is mostly invisible: the way the building itself uses energy.
For the third year in a row, Mansfield Hospital has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR certification, a designation reserved for facilities that perform in the top quarter of similar buildings nationwide. The hospital posted an ENERGY STAR score of 83 this year, two points higher than in 2024, meaning it now operates more efficiently than 83 percent of comparable hospitals across the country.
The recognition is not based on promises or estimates. ENERGY STAR measures actual, verified performance, taking into account how a building functions day to day, how many people move through it, and how weather affects heating and cooling. Hospitals that earn the label must prove their numbers through independent review by a licensed engineer or architect.
From the Boiler Room to the Board Room
Cindy Jacobs, who leads the ENERGY STAR Commercial and Industrial Branch, said the program highlights practical progress rather than symbolism. Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment, she said, noting that organizations are finding ways to make facilities work smarter without sacrificing comfort or safety.
At Mansfield Hospital, that effort has meant paying close attention to the mechanics that rarely make headlines. Over the past year, the facility increased its use of outside air for cooling when conditions allowed, reducing the strain on mechanical systems. A modernized boiler system lowered natural gas consumption. Engineers reviewed the heating, cooling, and air circulation systems more frequently, fine tuning schedules and equipment so energy was used only when needed.
Those adjustments might sound small, but in a building that never closes, they add up quickly. Certified buildings across the country typically use about 35 percent less energy than similar structures and release roughly 35 percent fewer greenhouse gases. For a hospital, the savings also translate into more resources available for patient care.
How the Certification Works
ENERGY STAR for Buildings and Plants is a voluntary EPA program that helps commercial properties track and improve their performance. The backbone of the system is an online platform called Portfolio Manager, which allows owners to measure energy and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and costs across more than 80 types of properties.
Facilities receive a score from 1 to 100. A rating of 75 or higher qualifies for certification, but the process does not end with a simple application. Each year the data must be updated and verified by a professional engineer or registered architect who confirms both the accuracy of the numbers and the quality of indoor conditions such as ventilation and temperature. The EPA also audits a portion of applications to protect the credibility of the label.
Mansfield Hospital is one of only two OhioHealth facilities to reach that benchmark this year, placing it among a relatively small group of medical centers nationwide that meet the standard.
A Quieter Kind of Progress
Hospitals are often judged by the technology they add or the services they expand. Energy performance is a quieter measure, yet it touches every corner of a building. Lights stay on in operating rooms, imaging equipment runs for hours, and patients expect clean, comfortable spaces regardless of the season. Making all of that happen with less energy requires steady attention rather than a single grand project.
The improvement from a score of 81 to 83 suggests that the work is becoming part of the hospital’s routine. Engineers watch weather forecasts to decide when outside air can replace mechanical cooling. Maintenance teams study fuel use from the new boiler system. Administrators track monthly reports the same way they follow clinical outcomes.
None of it is visible to someone sitting in a waiting room. But the building is learning to breathe a little better each year, and that change, though unseen, is shaping the future of health care in Mansfield.
Source: OhioHealth; Photo: Creative Commons License
