Energy Asset Concession

Ochsner Medical Center chose to partner with Bernhard to deliver a comprehensive Energy Asset Concession that includes construction of a new central plant to serve a patient tower expansion, infrastructure upgrades, campus wide retro-commissioning, and building automation system upgrades. The 15-year agreement provides for the financing of the project and on-going operation and maintenance of the central energy plant.

The new central energy plant is connected to the existing south campus main central plant to create a district loop serving 1.88 million square feet. In addition, the north campus plant has been upgraded with pumping and piping modifications to improve energy efficiency. Within the hospital, Bernhard is providing retro-commissioning, upgrades to the building automation system, controls upgrades within operating rooms and replacement of air handling units. The goal of these upgrades is to reduce demand on the central utility plant and improve operational and energy efficiency. The project achieves $2.6 million in annual energy savings.

Bernhard also provided an energy savings guarantee for the first three years of the project to mitigate the risk of savings degradation. Bernhard is ensuring sustainable savings for the life of the contract through operator training, measurement and verification, and remote support services.