Geneva,
6 October 1999
Energy Secretary
Richardson Announces Joint DOE / UN Foundation Project Will Improve Energy Efficiency, Reduce
Energy Costs and Improve Patient
Care in Russian Hospitals
Secretary of Energy Bill
Richardson visited the Moscow Medical Academy on 2 October to announce a joint
Department of Energy (DOE) / UN Foundation project that will allow the hospital to lower
costly energy bills. DOE is committing $50,000 to the project now. The funds will be
matched by the United Nations Foundation established to support the United Nations and its
work on behalf of economic, social, environmental and humanitarian causes. This project is
part of a long-term arrangement with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UN/ECE) to apply energy efficiency to hospitals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."Installing energy-efficient systems
in Russian hospitals frees up scarce funds that can be used to improve the quality of
patient health care while conserving precious energy resources," said Secretary of
Energy Bill Richardson. Secretary Richardson was welcomed at the hospital by Mr. Mikhail
Palstov, Director of the Moscow Medical Academy and joined for the announcement by a
United Nations Official, Mr. Evgeniy Nadezhdin, UN/ECE Regional Adviser on Energy."This project is an opportunity to
share U.S. energy efficient technologies with the Russia people. Because the Moscow
Medical Academy is a teaching hospital that attracts medical professionals from throughout
Russia, the experiences gained in this project can be transferred to hospitals throughout
Russia."Looking at the energy efficiency gains
possible in Russian hospitals is a new but extremely important effort. Energy audits have
shown that the energy costs incurred by some Russian hospitals amount to 40% of their
operating expenses, compared with an average of 4% in U.S. hospitals. There are
approximately 1,200 hospitals in Russia.DOE’s involvement is part of a
$400,000 initiative at the Moscow Medical Academy that will be directed toward the
heating, air handling, lighting, equipment and energy management control systems of the
hospital buildings.Founded in 1755, the Academy is the oldest
and largest hospital complex in Russia. The 3,400-bed medical facility has a faculty and
student body of more than 6,000. The flagship teaching hospital in Russia, the Academy is
the largest in Russia and treats all illnesses except infectious diseases.Plans for the energy efficiency hospital
project were developed cooperatively by DOE, the Russian Ministry of Fuel and Energy, the
UN Foundation and the Energy Efficiency 2000 (EE-2000) Project of the United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE). The UN Foundation is supporting a
United Nations programme to transfer the energy-efficient technologies, which are
projected also to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to the Russian Federation, Bulgaria,
Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Ukraine.
For more information please contact:
Energy Efficiency 2000 Project
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations, Bureau 382
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 2410, 917 2407
Telefax: +41 22 917 0227, 917 0038
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.ee2000.net UN/ECE Information Unit
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations, Bureau 356
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 4444
Telefax: +41 22 917 0505
E-mail: [email protected]