Optimum Energy Celebrates Penn State Health 2025 IDEA Innovation Award Win
Seattle & Baton Rouge, June 4, 2025 – Optimum Energy proudly congratulates Penn State Health on receiving the prestigious 2025 Joseph M. Brillhart IDEA Innovation Award. Presented by the International District Energy Association (IDEA), this prestigious honor recognizes the health system’s transformative approach to energy optimization across its Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus, a nationally recognized facility, and the only combined Level I trauma center for both children and adults in Pennsylvania.
Since launching its energy strategy in 2009, Penn State Health has executed a long-term, integrated approach to energy system resilience and efficiency. This includes advanced chilled water optimization delivered in partnership with Optimum Energy, alongside on-site power generation, thermal energy storage, and waste heat recovery innovations. The initiative has reduced the campus’s energy use intensity by 25%, generated more than $59 million in financial benefit, and eliminated over 40,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually, all while ensuring uninterrupted patient care in a 24/7 critical care environment.
“This recognition from IDEA is an honor and highlights our team’s steadfast commitment to innovation, resilience, and environmental responsibility,” said Kevin Kanoff, Campus Energy Engineer at Penn State Health. “While the challenges of optimizing energy systems in a Level 1 Trauma Center for both children and adults are significant, the opportunity to lead in this area is equally important. We’ve proven that reliability and sustainability can be achieved together, even in the most demanding clinical settings.”
“Research and medical campuses are frequently hesitant to adopt energy efficiency measures, even when the potential for significant cost savings is evident,” said Lisa Roy, CEO and President of Optimum Energy. “The risks associated with any interruption to service in critical environments can understandably outweigh innovation. With this project, Penn State Health demonstrated that it’s possible to be technically bold while operationally respectful, achieving meaningful gains in cost savings, reliability, and environmental performance.”
Optimum Energy supported Penn State Health by implementing chilled water optimization, which enhanced system performance and resulted in more than $300,000 in annual electricity savings. The work was carefully phased to ensure zero disruption to clinical operations, supporting Penn State Health’s mission to provide world-class care while advancing environmental stewardship.
The award-winning project shows how Penn State Health, Optimum Energy, and a team of partners and contractors worked together on the energy optimization program. This teamwork demonstrates that large institutions can reduce carbon emissions while maintaining performance, safety, and continuity of care.
To learn more about the IDEA Innovation Award and this year’s recipients, visit www.districtenergy.org
About Optimum Energy
Optimum Energy provides holistic energy solutions that empower mission-critical facilities—including hospitals, research campuses, higher education institutions, and advanced manufacturing facilities—to achieve measurable efficiency and resilience. Our comprehensive offerings span design, engineering, optimization, operations and maintenance, and financing, delivered as an integrated program or tailored to specific project needs. We leverage advanced technologies, such as AI-driven analytics and predictive maintenance, to provide sustained savings and reliability. With flexible delivery models, including Energy-as-a-Service, off-balance sheet structures, and private funding, we help clients accelerate cost savings and meet performance goals with confidence.
About Penn State Health
Penn State Health is an integrated academic health system serving patients and communities across 15 counties in central Pennsylvania. The system includes Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and Penn State Cancer Institute based in Hershey, Pa.; Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center in Enola, Pa.; Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill, Pa.; Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center in Lancaster, Pa.; Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, Pa.; Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, a specialty provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, in Harrisburg, Pa., and 2,417 physicians and direct care providers at 186 outpatient practices. Additionally, the system jointly operates various health care providers, including Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Hershey Outpatient Surgery Center and Hershey Endoscopy Center. In 2017, Penn State Health partnered with Highmark Health to facilitate creation of a value-based, community care network in the region. Penn State Health shares an integrated strategic plan and operations with Penn State College of Medicine, the University’s medical school.
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