Covidien is a $12 billion global healthcare products leader dedicated to innovative medical solutions and clinical leadership, with more than 40 locations across the globe. Its North Haven, CT facility is Covidien’s largest in terms energy usage and cost. The campus includes four buildings; three designated for manufacturing, research and development and one for office use.
Since 2008, a state of the art natural gas fired cogeneration facility has supplied the site with electricity, steam and hot water for manufacturing. More than 10 additional energy reduction projects have been funded to continue reducing the site’s energy footprint. All are in line with Covidien’s corporate energy policy to reduce its energy footprint 20 percent by the end of 2018. To meet this goal, Covidien created its own “Energy Center of Excellence”, or Energy CoE, so that efficiency improvements are continuously identified, implemented, sustained and measured. In just four years, Covidien has collectively reduced its energy footprint by almost 13 percent, greatly exceeding its 8 percent reduction target. It has developed, funded and executed over 150 projects during the same period. They include replacing HVAC electric coils with cogeneration-fed HW coils and installing energy-efficient lighting and occupancy sensors in warehouses, offices and a parking garage.
Incentives have been an integral part of Covidien’s success. Programs such as the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) portfolio, administered by The United Illuminating Company and sponsored by Energize CT, have turned long-term investment projects into realities.
In North Haven and at all its facilities, Covidien makes efficiency awareness a top priority. More than 25 energy efficiency articles have been published in the company’s global digital newsletter, “The Pulse.” It has also created a web-based training series promoting energy management best practices.
As its employees continue their vital mission to research and develop products that comfort, heal and save lives, Covidien’s efficiency commitment proves that healing our planet is as good for business as it is for our well-being.