Clinical Center's new steam turbine reduces energy use, saves money

Donald Edwards (left), chief of the NIH Clinical Center's Facilities Branch, Greg Leifer (center), with the Energy Management Branch, and Michael McClain (right), the facility manager for Building 10, gather at the Clinical Center's new steam turbine recently installed in the basement of the hospital.The new equipment, which provides heat to the hospital by converting steam to mechanical energy, will reduce power consumption by using it more efficiently, thereby saving costs. This modern and easier-to-operate equipment replaces the old turbine installed during the building's construction in the 1950s. The new turbine will provide an estimated 2.4 million kilowatt hours of electricity, equivalent to enough electricity to power 200 average-size homes per year. This upgrade is anticipated to save approximately $200,000 per year.