RMH has been awarded a $583,868 Biomass Energy Grant by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to retrofit two of the new hospital’s boilers to burn methane gas, Gov. Tim Kaine announced Thursday.

One of the new hospital’s boilers is already equipped to burn methane gas from the neighboring Rockingham County Landfill; the grant will allow RMH to retrofit the second and third boilers to run on methane. In addition to the new hospital, any future structures on the campus could use methane as a fuel source, said Dennis Coffman, director, Facilities Planning and Development.

“From the start of planning to build the new hospital and health campus, RMH has remained committed to sustainability,” Coffman said. “This initiative will save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a market for a local renewable energy source. It is a win-win for the community and RMH. In addition, because we are a non-profit, our cost savings translate into increased value for our patients.”

Coffman noted that RMH is on track to become the first hospital in Virginia, and possibly the East Coast, to achieve U.S. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification, due to sustainability initiatives such as using methane fuel, recycling more than 80 percent of construction waste, using energy-saving design and fixtures and working to manage wetlands on the new hospital campus.

“We are pleased to learn that the state of Virginia has offered support for our commitment toward sustainability,” said Paul Ketron, Facilities Management director. “This recognition affirms our leading-edge efforts to reduce dependency on non-renewable fuel sources.”

To start, RMH will use at least 65 percent of the methane gas produced by the Rockingham County Landfill. The gas is a byproduct of waste, and otherwise would be burned and released into the atmosphere, Coffman said.

Retrofitting the boilers allows them to be tri-fuel boilers; they can burn methane gas, natural gas, and diesel fuel, he said.

“The plan is for all the boilers to use as much methane gas as possible, with natural gas and diesel fuel as a backup,” Coffman said. “This will reduce our consumption of, and dependence on, fossil fuels, and also will allow RMH to be a haven for the community in the event of a natural disaster.”

The grant from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy Funding is funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act State Energy Program.                      

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