What does the EIC do?
Based on US EPA analysis of health impacts of power plant emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury, the Healthcare Energy Impact Calculator (EIC) estimates premature deaths, chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, emergency room visits and more, by kilowatt hour per year. The EIC displays the projected number of incidents, estimates of medical treatment costs, their external societal costs, and the likely emissions permit costs for the green house gas carbon dioxide. In the future, an improved EIC will also estimate heating and cooling energy's health impacts and costs. For simplicity and to avoid data gaps, the other emissions, costs and health impacts from energy generation and use are omitted.

An example and a question
A typical 200-bed hospital in the coal-powered Midwest using a 7 million kWh year is responsible for over $1 million/year in negative societal public health impacts ($0.14/kWh), and $107,000/year ($0.01532/kWh) in direct health care costs. What kind of energy purchase might deliver the best value if such costs were part of the decision?

Energy efficiency and clean energy
As pressure for institutional transparency increases, "brown" energy may well be seen as carrying significant health costs and risks. By comparison energy efficiency and clean energy have advantages with respect to health, regulatory compliance, reliability, community benefits, reputation, fiduciary responsibility, liability, and climate change.

What are your facility's energy health impacts and costs?

What can you do to improve them?