Energy Efficiency Services for Senior Living Facilities

Senior Living HVAC & Lighting Efficiency Services — Designed to Reduce Operating Costs and Enhance Resident Comfort & Safety

E-Assessments

Assessment Overview:

Working with Senior Living REIT's, Blue Sky E3 established a Deep Dive Assessment process to proactively identify HVAC, LED, and water-related needs and opportunities across several managed portfolios.
BSE3 works with our customers internal sustainability team.
Focused on over 100 managed properties, each over 10 years old, along with select new acquisitions.

Recent Assessments:

Florida: identified HVAC and Lighting recommendations currently being assessed.
New York: exploring large ceiling fans in the atrium to improve air circulation while reducing energy usage.
Michigan: exploring options to address aging HVAC and plumbing infrastructure.
Oregon: completed onsite energy audit with local utility program administrator, which identified and qualified strong incentives for HVAC, HWHP, Lighting, and Insulation.
Oregon: identified EOL split system, PTAC, and lighting needs, which are supported by local utility incentives.

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E-Recommendations

California Facility: Initiating Senior Living REIT’s most comprehensive energy-efficient retrofit to date, including HVACs, PTACs, Electric Heat Pump water heaters, Solar PV, BESS, Lighting upgrades, Window tinting, and Water conservation. Leveraging Califorina’s 3CREN program providing over $500,000 in incentives, in addition to the 40% ITC on the Solar PV & BESS.

North Carolina Facility:

Phase II, replacing 41 remaining EOL units with the same retrofits as the original Phase I (90) units. Expected to save over 20% ($150,000) vs one-off replacements, while reducing energy expenditures by approximately $20,000 per year.

Texas Facility #1:

Recently replaced 70 legacy split system units with Bosch 18-SEER Inverter split Systems, capturing over $210,000 in incentives (25%).

Texas Facility #2:

Having completed the Phase I replacement of legacy resident split units with modern 18-SEER inverters, now focusing on common area EOL units, leveraging the same Oncor incentive program.

Texas Facility #3:

Pursuing replacement of 90 legacy PTACs with modern GE Zoneline 16-SEER inverter units providing energy efficiency, fresh air, and UVC sterilization. Replacement costs are effectively covered under Oncor incentives ($1500 per unit).

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E-Solutions
Texas Facility HVAC Retrofit:

Challenge: Two large senior living facilities in Dallas, Texas, with inefficient legacy split system units servicing each residential apartment, being repaired and replaced “as needed” by “like-for-like” units.

Solution: Blue Sky identified and leveraged a custom Oncor incentive program to replace end-of-life units with modern 18-SEER heat pump inverters at a net cost equal to the existing “like-for-like” replacements.

Results:
Secured: ~$1 Million in utility incentives to replace 330 units
Achieved: 30% efficiency at the unit level and 15% at the overall project level
Reduced: annual electricity usage by ~700,000 kWh
Reduced: annual electricity spend by ~$115,000
Reduced: ongoing maintenance and repairs by ~$75,000
Reduced: ~379 metric tons of CO2, equivalent to 42,646 gallons of gasoline not burned
Improved: resident and caregiver comfort, quality, and satisfaction
Increased: property value by ~$2.7 million.

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E-Solutions
Lighting LED Upfit

Challenge:

Today, most properties have varying degrees of LED solutions. However, the existing LED fixtures, bulbs, and T8 tubes are frequently procured with the wrong color temperature and light levels, often causing “shadow” and “tunnel” effects. Poor lighting causes more falls/incidents, more nighttime wakefulness/call-bell use, more agitation/confusion episodes, higher staff burden, and lower resident/family satisfaction with the facility environment.

Solution:
Blue Sky provides turn-key LED lighting solutions that go beyond just lighting efficiency by providing the right amount of light and the best color temperature to reduce slip & falls, as well as creating the best work environment for employees. We work with Senior Living REIT's partners on facility lighting projects to ensure the fixture selections are the best for the residents and employees.

Results:
Color Uniformity: All fixtures in common areas & residence rooms have consistent color temperatures and foot candle readings.
Improved Visibility: Residence can better differentiate between the floor and walls in common area hallways.
Improved Light Levels: Residence rooms, front office & back offices, dining rooms, library, PT room, nursing stations, etc. all have the consistent lighting. PK lots lighting provides a safe environment for caregiver security.
Reduced Lighting Maintenance: Onsite maintenance teams have more time to attend to other maintenance issues.

Before & After

HVAC Modernization Strategy for Senior Living Portfolios

At Blue Sky E3 Partners, we understand that energy efficiency in senior living isn’t just about costs — it’s about resident comfort, indoor air quality, safety, staff workload, and regulatory compliance. Our solutions focus on senior living communities, assisted living, memory care, and long-term care facilities.

Energy efficiency in senior living is no longer just a facilities concern — it’s a capital strategy. Across senior living portfolios, three HVAC system categories present the largest opportunities to reduce operating costs, lower capital risk, and enhance long-term asset value:

1. PTAC / PTHP Systems (Residential Units)
    •    Legacy units typically have a 5–10 year lifespan, rely on resistance heating, offer limited ventilation, and require frequent maintenance.
    •    Modern inverter-driven PTHPs can reduce energy use by 40–60% compared to traditional resistance-based PTACs, and deliver quieter, more comfortable rooms for residents.
    •    Provide improved humidity control, ventilation, and resident comfort.
    •    Many incentive programs can offset or fully cover incremental upgrade costs.

2. 3–5 Ton Split Systems & Small Rooftop Units
    •    Often operated beyond their expected useful life and replaced only upon failure.
    •    Improve air quality and lower peak cooling stress — critical for areas like dining, fitness, and gathering spaces.
    •    Modern systems use roughly 60% of the energy of legacy units.
    •    Reduce peak demand exposure and improve part-load performance.
    •    Strategically deployed systems can qualify for significant rebates.

3. Large Commercial Rooftop Units (Common Areas)
    •    Serve dining areas, corridors, fitness centers, and other shared spaces.
    •    Historically high energy intensity and maintenance costs.
    •    Modern upgrades include variable-speed compressors, ECM fan motors, VAV capability, and demand-control ventilation.
    •    Typical results include 20–40% energy reduction and improved indoor air quality.

Our Integrated Approach
    •    Engineering-based portfolio assessment to identify the highest-impact opportunities.
    •    Incentive aggregation and rebate maximization to offset upgrade costs.
    •    Phased capital forecasting for strategic budgeting.
    •    Full implementation and commissioning for seamless deployment and ongoing performance.

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What Energy Efficiency Solutions We Can Provide for You!

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