Success Story: The Laser & Skin Center

Partner Information

The facility: 8,000 sq.ft.
Annual Savings from energy efficiency upgrades: $6,000
Annual kilowatt hour savings from energy efficiency upgrades: 70,293 kWh
Payback period: 7 years
Pollution prevented: 87,000 lbs

Service and Product Provider

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)

The Laser & Skin Center in Sacramento, CA, is a leader in the testing and application of new technology. So it’s not surprising that Dr. Suzanne Kilmer, owner and chief doctor of the facility, is using the latest in energy efficiency technology to keep the Center’s energy costs down while keeping the facility’s atmosphere comfortable and reassuring to patients.

Energy Efficiency Relieves Costly Power Ailments

The 8,000 square foot building housing the Laser Skin Center was constructed 40 years ago, and needed an energy efficiency overhaul. The building had wooden over-hangs and small windows, which allowed little natural illumination. The entrance and waiting room were expanded to allow more ambient light. Low-emissivity (low-e) glass, which has a special surface coating to reduce heat transfer, was used in these areas to limit solar heating. Low-e glass reflects 40% to 70% of the heat that is normally transmitted through clear glass, while allowing the full amount of light to pass through.

High-Efficiency Lighting Cures High Energy Bills

The waiting room has been retrofitted with compact fluorescent down-lights, and two-lamp wall sconces. Compact fluorescent lamps are fluorescent lamps that have been specifically made in a compact form to replace incandescent lamps in traditional screw-in fixtures. Compact fluorescent technologies have improved recently, and the lamps currently available in the market place are brighter and have very good color rendition. Compact fluorescent lamps are as easy to install as incandescent lamps, and most major hardware stores sell them.

In addition, a chandelier was converted from three 100-watt incandescent lamps to three 45-watt compact fluorescent lamps.

In the exam room, T-12 fluorescent lamps with standard ballasts were replaced with T-8 fluorescent lamps with electronic ballasts. In the hallways, T-12 strips were removed and replaced with a one-lamp T-5 indirect fixture.

Shade Trees Cool Feverish Energy Costs

A wall of deciduous trees was planted in front of the building to shade the front windows in the spring and summer. California is known for its warm summers and temperate winters, so using trees to reduce heat caused by solar radiation is a cost effective way to keep cooling bills in check.

More Opportunities

The original heating, ventilation, and cooling system (HVAC) system was comprised of package heat pumps with an EER of 7.7 and 45 kW heat strips. It was successfully replaced by new gas-fired package heating units and by 12 SEER air conditioning units equipped with economizers and smart thermostats.

Even More Opportunities

The Laser & Skin Center sought an expert opinion while it was considering energy efficiency measures. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) provided information about the state-of-the-art in energy efficiency through its Customer Service Center. The Center worked closely with SMUD to ensure that its specific needs where met. To the Center’s credit, it implemented many of SMUD’s suggestion in a manner that enhanced the beauty and functionality of its facility.

Laser & Skin Center, an 2000 ENERGY STAR for small business Award Winner.