Baystate Franklin Medical Center Upgrades to Natural Gas

GREENFIELD — Baystate Franklin Medical Center recently upgraded its heating system to include natural gas. The hospital went live with its new system on December 1, and the conversion is expected to result in a savings of $250,000 annually.

Gregory Oles, manager of Engineering at BFMC, reported that the new natural-gas burner will provide steam for heat, hot water, and sterile processing.

“Besides being more economical, natural gas is cleaner for our community,” Oles said. “With this conversion, we are continuing to try to be as environmentally conscious as possible.”

The hospital will still maintain oil as a back-up system, Oles explained. “On extremely cold days in the winter, when the demand for natural gas is greater, the gas company might request that we switch to oil.

“The bottom line at Baystate Franklin is that we are here to provide quality patient care,” he added. “Any time we can reduce costs of operation and maintenance of the facility, we are able to put more of our resources into fulfilling that mission of improving the health of our community. Creating a greener environment at the same time is the frosting on the cake — another way to help keep our community healthy.”