Energy management began as a strategic initiative at OSF HealthCare, designed to uncover hidden cost savings and navigate the complex challenges of managing energy across a large health system. What started as a focus on efficiency soon revealed like-minded initiatives throughout the organization, united by a shared commitment of improving care. Driven by employees who sought to advance community well-being through responsible stewardship of resources, the initiative evolved into a comprehensive energy and sustainability program. With Pointcore’s partnership, OSF transformed a collection of siloed efforts into a strategic, organization-wide program that now delivers both financial and environmental value.
CHALLENGE
Like many health systems in 2019, OSF HealthCare faced rising expenses, increased operational demands and shifting revenue models. Leaders were challenged to look within their departments for hidden opportunities to reduce costs. The energy and sustainability team brought attention to the health system’s energy usage, which represented both the organization’s largest environmental impact as well as a significant financial cost. Yet prior to 2019, there was no dedicated sustainability role or program in place.
Executive leadership gave the green light to explore this untapped area of focus. They saw the potential to align resource stewardship with the Mission of OSF HealthCare, which meant running facilities in a way that sustained financial performance while also supporting the health of the communities they served. To succeed, OSF needed to find a path forward where environmental responsibility, community impact and long-term financial resilience worked hand in hand.
The challenge was twofold:
Expand energy and efficiency efforts across broader, critical operational areas that aligned with the Mission of OSF HealthCare while gaining buy-in from leadership and Mission Partners.
Identify and capture cost savings hidden in energy use across a large, complex system.
SOLUTION
DETERMINING ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES
The first step was to gather data to understand how and where the energy was being used across the campuses of OSF. Pointcore worked with OSF to collect and analyze systemwide energy usage, benchmarking hospitals against one another and external peers. This analysis revealed which facilities were “energy guzzlers” and where opportunities for savings were greatest.
With this foundation, Pointcore built dashboards that visualized energy use data and developed an action plan with projected ROI. The dashboards helped the team showcase which areas (facilities, supply chain and other departments) they were impacting and the expected cost savings, securing further leadership support. Initial projects focused on optimizing building controls and automation systems for heating and cooling, efforts that delivered measurable savings quickly.
As the energy measures took effect, momentum grew, and sustainability began to be recognized as more than an operations initiative. In 2021, OSF established an internal Sustainability Advisory Council to guide efforts and integrate them into capital planning. The program was formalized around three focus areas aligned with the organization’s needs: energy and certain gases, waste and recyclables, and purchased goods and services. Pointcore helped the OSF team set clear goals and targets based on their data that projected cost savings and environmental impact reductions through 2030.
BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM
Alongside project implementation, the program prioritized education for Mission Partners. Sharing key updates, progress highlights and publishing an annual sustainability report – produced in partnership with Pointcore – helped build internal awareness and buy-in. Opportunities for direct engagement, such as tree giveaways, also allowed Mission Partners to actively participate in sustainability efforts. This focus on education ensured the workforce understood the impact of these initiatives and were equipped to support ongoing efforts.
RESULTS
Since 2019, the energy and sustainability efforts of OSF have delivered measurable impact and significant, lasting value:
FINANCIAL
By uncovering and implementing cost-savings measures across the system, OSF has realized $20M+ in accumulated savings.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Energy use has been reduced by 16%, translating to millions of dollars saved and a significantly lower carbon footprint. These efforts also support healthier environments for patients, Mission partners and the communities OSF serves.
CULTURAL
Mission Partners are more engaged and enthusiastic about sustainability efforts, which contributes to the recognition of OSF being a top Illinois employer. Internal education, events such as tree giveaways and annual reporting have helped build ownership and pride in these initiatives.
REPUTATIONAL
OSF has strengthened its position and brand as a responsible healthcare leader committed to community well-being, earning recognition such as The Joint Commission Sustainable Healthcare Certification, Energy Star® certification, the Energy to Care Sustained Performance Award, Practice Greenhealth’s Emerald Award, and CASE’s Circle of Excellence recognition.
These results illustrate the power of a strategic, integrated approach to energy and sustainability. By improving operational efficiency and enhancing community impact, OSF delivers high-quality, transformative care that fulfills its Mission of serving with the greatest care and love.
CONCLUSION
What began as an effort to uncover hidden cost savings has evolved into a comprehensive energy and sustainability program deeply aligned with the Mission of OSF HealthCare. With Pointcore’s support, OSF developed the structure, strategy and tools to transition from isolated efficiency projects to a systemwide, integrated program that is flexible enough to adapt to evolving regulations, government requirements and supply chain practices. Today, the initiative not only reduces costs but also mitigates environmental impact, strengthens community health and builds organizational resilience. By uniting financial stewardship with responsible operations, Pointcore has helped OSF create a model that delivers lasting, measurable value for their healthcare organization.
Michael Keefe, director of energy and sustainability, pointcore
Sustainability isn’t just about cutting costs or reducing energy use. It’s about building a healthier future for the people we serve. We’re proud to help OSF HealthCare coordinate the many aspects and interdependencies of energy and sustainability to support their maturing program. My team is excited to guide other organizations ready to make sustainability a strategic advantage.
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About OSF HealthCare
OSF HealthCare is a large, integrated health system founded by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. OSF employs over 26,000 people and serves communities across Illinois and Michigan through 16 hospitals, 170+ locations and over 2,100 licensed beds. OSF also offers a variety of other services, including colleges of nursing, home health services, philanthropic foundations and more.
In the spirit of Christ and the example of Francis of Assisi, the Mission of OSF HealthCare is to serve persons with the greatest care and love in a community that celebrates the Gift of Life.