Proving What’s Possible:
Optimizing Operating Rooms
Without Compromise
How Methodist University Hospital and Optimum Energy unlocked years of hidden efficiency without disrupting patient care.
Meet the Presenters
The People Behind the Project
Steven and Alex are happy to answer your questions, from the technical details to the partnership approach that made this project work.
Leads facility operations for Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare’s large academic medical center, overseeing infrastructure, utilities, compliance, and campus operations with a focus on reliability, efficiency, and patient-centered environments.
Brings more than 15 years of healthcare and higher education experience to every project, leading development and delivery of $100M+ in energy efficiency work and managing engineering teams across all site activities and scopes with a focus on driving innovation, sustainability, and successful project outcomes.
Presentation Highlights
What We Covered
Shorb Tower at Methodist University Hospital opened in 2019 fully compliant, but never fully optimized. Here’s how we changed that.
Built for Compliance. Not Yet Built for Efficiency.
The 450,000 sq ft Shorb Tower was constructed with all the right technology, but the mechanical systems were never fully commissioned to meet their design intent for energy efficiency. Comfort and compliance were maintained. The efficiency gains built into the design were not.
Peeling Back the Layers on Hidden Issues
Controller programming issues were causing heating valves to drop out unexpectedly, uncalibrated sensors were compounding control instability, and the cumulative effect was driving unnecessary reheat and fan energy. None of it was visible to staff or patients.
One OR at a Time, With Clinical Staff Every Step
Rather than rolling out changes all at once, the team reprogrammed a single operating room as a pilot, monitored it for a full month, confirmed compliance and comfort 24/7, then rolled out to all 19 remaining ORs. Zero surprises. Zero disruptions to clinical operations.
Meaningful Savings Without Touching Patient Care
Supply airflow dropped 17% on some air handlers and up to 40% on others. Cooling ton-hours and reheat therms followed suit. All improvements happened in the background, driven by fixing the root cause rather than applying a band-aid on top of it.
By the Numbers
Results from the Shorb Tower ORs
Data captured June through October 2025 across four air handling units serving the operating rooms.
Our Philosophy
Diagnose First. Prescribe After.
The approach that set this project apart wasn’t the technology. It was the methodology.
Evaluate Before Prescribing
We go in looking for what the problem actually is, not to sell a solution we already had in mind. Energy usage is the symptom. Root cause is the target.
System-Wide Perspective
Small issues in a space compound into large inefficiencies in the plant. We look at the whole building, not just where a complaint came in.
Pilot, Monitor, Then Roll Out
Methodical implementation builds clinical confidence. When the full rollout came, there were no surprises because the work had already been proven.
Owner Education Throughout
Hospital facilities teams aren’t bystanders. We work alongside them so the knowledge stays in-house long after the project is done.
Connect With Us
Have a Question for Steven or Alex?
Whether you want to dig into the technical details, learn more about the partnership model, or explore what a similar project could look like at your facility, they’re here for it. Send a message and they’ll follow up directly.
