Gundersen Elroy Clinic achieves net-zero energy goal

October 28, 2024

ELROY – Gundersen’s Elroy Clinic has reached its goal of becoming a net-zero facility –  making it the first of its kind in the health system.

The move is part of Gundersen’s effort toward eliminating energy costs and leaving a smaller carbon footprint.

Aaron Hammer, Gundersen St. Joseph’s facilities operations manager, said the facility has 16 geothermal wells embedded beneath the facility’s parking lot, solar panels on the roof and extra insulation in the roof and the walls.

Hammer said opening the building in January was the toughest time energy-wise as the cold comes with an increased energy demand, which outpaces what the building’s systems can produce.

During the summer months, however, he said the system produces more energy than needed – resulting in the net-zero achievement.

Ariel Brophy, project manager with Gundersen’s Envision, said the previous Elroy clinic – which was half the size of the new building – used 68,000 kilowatts of energy in 2023.

So far, she said the new building has used 24,000 kilowatts and has produced 17,000 – for a net total of 7,000 kilowatts used.

Brophy said if the building was built to normal standards, it would use 208,437 kilowatts a year – costing about $26,500 per year to power.

Any building Gundersen constructs in the future, Brophy said, will have a goal of net-zero energy use.

Existing buildings that are purchased in the future, she said, will look to use half the amount of energy. 

“We’re using less energy, so fewer emissions are being released into the environment,” she said. “It improves and promotes a healthy community for our families with fewer health effects.”