“The energy survey showed we could insulate the entire system with reusable blankets and achieve a payback in 18 months. That ultimately became 23 months due to the dropping cost of fuel, but still a very good payback,” said Karen Seward, director of facilities engineering at Albany Medical Center. “People budget for fuel costs, but they don’t always think about the initial outlay for reusable blankets as something that will pay for itself and make them money into the future.”

Albany Medical Center is expected to save 9.8 billion British thermal units each year thanks to custom-fit, reusable insulation blankets from Shannon of Western New York.

Shannon’s team measured the center’s steam system and engineering and installed reusable Insultech blankets for approximately 500 components ranging from pipes and butterfly valves to strainers and safety relief valves. The blankets for the project also adhered to Shannon specifications that called for a custom-fit, pre-engineered insulation system designed to save energy and retain radiant heat, company officials said.

“Most universities and health care systems have tackled energy efficiency products, such as improving lighting and auditing the building envelope,” said Shannon President Frank Kovacs. “Reusable insulation that’s engineered and installed correctly is the next big area of energy savings for employers. The energy savings make the cost of ownership little to none.”

Shannon is planning to start phase two of the project at Albany Medical Center’s South Clinical Campus, where the company will install additional reusable insulation blankets.