Combining AV and Building Automation to Cut Hospital Energy Costs

Hospitals never stop running. That’s part of what makes them so resource-hungry. Inpatient facilities may represent just a small fraction of healthcare buildings in the U.S. Still, they account for the bulk of the sector’s energy consumption, nearly 70% of electricity, and over 80% of natural gas.

If a facility wants to control costs, trimming excess energy use is the most logical place to start. However, in a setting like a hospital, where 24/7 uptime is critical, shutting systems down isn’t really an option. 

That’s where smarter infrastructure comes in. By connecting AV systems and building automation platforms, hospitals can shift toward active, real-time building energy efficiency without compromising patient care.

Why Hospital Energy Use Is So Hard to Manage

You’ve got HVAC running around the clock. Lighting, diagnostics equipment, monitors, and conferencing tools pull power whether someone’s in the room or not. As a result, hospitals are among the most energy-intensive buildings in the entire commercial sector.

Energy costs can spiral fast. According to national figures, commercial buildings in the U.S. burn through more than $140 billion in energy each year. Hospitals punch well above their weight. That makes them prime candidates for smart energy strategies, especially ones that go beyond HVAC and lighting to include overlooked systems like AV.

More hospitals are starting to benchmark their energy usage using Energy Use Intensity (EUI), a metric that shows how much energy is used per square foot per year. Programs like ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager and ASHE’s Energy to Care initiative help facilities compare performance over time. 

Recent data from ASHE shows the impact: 136 hospitals earned sustainability recognition in 2024, and 87 more in 2025. Many dropped their EUI by 10% or more.

That kind of progress comes from linking the right systems. Not just monitoring usage, but coordinating the building’s tech to improve building energy efficiency.

The Backbone: Smarter Building Automation

If energy use is the problem, then building automation is the tool. HVAC systems are usually the biggest energy draws, and automating them through a Building Automation System (BAS) helps facilities respond to what’s happening in the space, not just the clock on the wall.

Guidelines like ASHRAE 36 give hospitals a way to standardize control logic. That includes smarter fan speeds, optimal temperature resets, and tight control over ventilation levels. 

And when something breaks down, like a faulty sensor or a misaligned damper, fault detection tools within the BAS catch the problem early, avoiding hidden inefficiencies that can pile up fast.

Hospitals that participate in demand-response programs can go even further, scaling back loads during peak pricing hours. It’s a level of flexibility that doesn’t work if your systems are running blindly. That’s where AV steps in as a new source of data and a new kind of trigger.

The AV Connection: A Smarter Way to React to Occupancy

AV systems know when a room is in use. Schedulers, displays, and sensors are already capturing presence and planned activity. But in many facilities, that data sits in a vacuum. It doesn’t influence the HVAC system. It doesn’t dim the lights. It doesn’t power down the gear after use.

That disconnect is a missed opportunity.

By integrating AV platforms with building automation, hospitals can turn real-time usage data into automated energy responses. For example, when a telehealth session wraps up, the AV system signals the BAS to scale back airflow, dim the lighting, and shift everything into standby.

This approach is especially powerful in sensitive spaces like imaging suites or operating rooms. These rooms are often over-ventilated by default, even when unoccupied, just to avoid safety risks. With the right AV triggers and smart reset sequences, hospitals can automate that transition safely and reclaim a chunk of otherwise wasted energy.

The best part is that many AV systems are already built for this. In fact, this type of logic is a key element of sustainable AV design, where displays, audio gear, and control panels work together with the building itself to power down cleanly and quickly.

Plug Loads and Power Management

Hospitals aren’t just wasting energy on HVAC. Every plugged-in device contributes to internal heat gains and draws power, even in standby mode. That includes AV racks, digital signage, and conferencing setups. 

Without smart controls, those systems stay on far longer than they need to. Over time, the cooling load increases, maintenance costs go up, and equipment life shortens. That’s where integrated AV power management comes in.

Strategies like auto-standby, remote shutdown, and networked sequencing help facilities cut plug loads without affecting usability. These techniques are part of the broader sustainable practices for AV, which emphasize coordination over complexity.

And when hospitals retrofit their spaces with LED lighting and embedded sensors, the returns multiply. Those lights can dim automatically when a room is vacant. And when tied to AV calendars or occupancy data, they contribute to building energy efficiency by aligning power use with actual demand.

So, Where Should Hospitals Begin?

Start with an audit. See how your AV and building automation systems operate today, and whether they communicate at all. In most cases, the equipment is already there. It just needs better coordination.

Next, look for low-friction wins: 

• Are your displays entering standby mode? 
• Are meeting rooms adjusting airflow when not in use? 
• Are schedulers sending room-status signals to the BAS?

From there, build out automation rules tied to room calendars and sensor feedback. Consider replacing outdated lighting with networked LEDs. Look at your AV racks: Can they be shut down remotely between sessions?

If budget is a hurdle, explore performance-based options like Energy Savings Performance Contracts. These funding models let hospitals pay for upgrades out of future savings with energy efficiency built into the ROI from day one.

What We’re Doing to Help

At Applied Global Technologies, we build AV solutions designed to connect with building automation systems in a meaningful way. That means systems that talk to each other, respond to occupancy, and help you reach your building energy efficiency goals without making operations harder.

If your hospital is ready to cut energy costs without cutting corners, we’re here to help. Let’s take what you already have and make it work smarter.