Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the operational viability of the Army's Energy Conservation Program with respect to health care facilities. In particular, the status of the program was ascertained by measuring the program's inferred effects on the levels of energy awareness, attitudes toward energy conservation, and energy actions planned or accomplished at the facilities. Data were gathered from 28 of 31 active Army hospitals in the United States by way of a questionnaire survey. Responses were used to determine the viability of the program by means of statement agreement percentages and by comparative analyses of the scaled statement responses. Comparative analyses, by one-way analysis of variance and t-test statistics, were undertaken to determine if significant differences existed in the responses of hospitals categorized by the independent variables of major Army command, hospital bed size, standard military weather zone, and hospital upgrade status. In addition, correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify the relationships among the viability indicators of awareness, attitudes, and actions, and between awareness and attitudes, and actions, respectively. Results from these analyses indicated significant differences in the levels of awareness among the major commands, and with respect to physical actions, between upgraded hospitals and those not upgraded. No significant differences were noted in the levels of attitudes among the independent variables. No significant correlation was established between awareness and action, attitudes and action, or between awareness and attitudes, although the stronger association was between attitudes and actions. Also, no significant relationship was found between awareness, attitudes, and actions. However, the attitude contribution to actions was the substantial contributor to the relationship. In light of the status and relationship determinations, energy program improvement recommendations are presented for the Army health care facilities. The major emphasis of these recommendations is on the planning, conservation, and energy accounting features which form an effective hospital energy management program.
Weeks, Hershel Eugene (1981). The Army's health facility energy conservation program : empirical evaluation with enhancement recommendations. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -648502.