Giving Comfort Back to Kindred Hospital
- Energy Performance Solutions
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
How a New Approach Saved Kindred Hospital San Antonio Energy and Effort
Imagine you're recovering in a hospital. What’s one of the first things you want? Comfort.
A healing environment should be comfortable, and at the heart of that comfort is temperature control. But for years, Kindred Hospital San Antonio, a busy four-story medical facility, had been fighting a losing battle against the Texas heat. Their struggle is a familiar one for facility managers everywhere: how do you keep a massive building cool, comfortable, and energy-efficient when the very system designed to help you is working against you?
That’s where Energy Performance Solutions stepped in. This wasn't just an efficiency project; it was about restoring comfort and saving significant operational costs, all by thinking differently about ductwork.
The Problem: A Leaky, Sun-Baked Secret
Kindred Hospital’s challenge was hiding in plain sight: on the roof. The facility’s five rooftop air handlers served the entire building through approximately 5,000 linear feet of exposed ductwork. Over time, the intense South Texas sun, rain, and heat had taken a severe toll on the traditional external insulation. It was cracked, degraded, and couldn't do its job anymore.
The result was a shocking degree of inefficiency. As the chilled air left the air handler, it had to travel through ductwork that was essentially being baked by the sun. By the time the air reached the rooms below, it had lost an astounding 14°F of its cooling power. Think about that: a 14-degree loss before the air even gets to the patient floor! The hospital was running its HVAC system harder and longer to make up for the massive temperature drop, leading to soaring energy bills and, critically, inconsistent patient comfort.
They were fighting the weather with brute force, and they needed a smarter solution.
The Solution: A New Kind of Thermal Armor
When we evaluated the site, it was clear that simply patching the old insulation wouldn’t cut it. We needed a permanent, high-performance solution that would seal the ducts and create a superior thermal barrier. Our proposal was a complete overhaul using ThermalBlock™.
Here’s how we tackled it:
Preparation is Key: First, we carefully removed the old, degraded insulation and thoroughly cleaned the massive expanse of ductwork. Starting with a pristine surface is essential for a lasting solution.
The ThermalBlock™ Application: Next, we applied ThermalBlock™, a specialized thermal barrier, directly to the exterior duct surfaces. ThermalBlock™ is a high-solids, preceramic coating engineered to reduce thermal transfer and air infiltration dramatically. It acts like a high-tech coat of armor, highly reflective and with a phenomenal solar heat gain coefficient, meaning it rejects most of the sun's heat before it can even penetrate the duct.
Unlike traditional insulation that can break down and absorb moisture, ThermalBlock™ forms a seamless, durable thermal barrier that seals air leaks, prevents moisture intrusion, and provides high solar reflectivity.
The Results: 78% Less Loss and 15% Savings
The transformation was immediate and quantifiable. The data spoke for itself, and the facility staff quickly noticed the difference in performance:
Temperature Loss Slashed: The crippling 14°F temperature loss in the supply air ducts was reduced to a mere 3°F. That's a 78% reduction in thermal loss! The cool air was finally making it from the roof to the patient rooms intact.
Real Energy Savings: With their HVAC system no longer fighting an uphill battle, Kindred Hospital San Antonio achieved a 15% reduction in monthly energy consumption. That’s a massive drop that translates into substantial, long-term operational savings.
Comfort Restored: The system now maintains consistent and comfortable temperatures throughout the facility, even during peak cooling periods. This is perhaps the most important result—a more stable and comfortable environment for patients to rest and heal.
Beyond the energy bill, the project delivered significant secondary benefits. By reducing peak load on HVAC units, ThermalBlock™ helps extend the lifespan of the entire system. Plus, the coating's sealing properties improved air quality by eliminating air leaks and preventing the intrusion of outside contaminants.
The successful project at Kindred Hospital San Antonio serves as a powerful reminder: the fight against energy waste doesn't always require replacing an entire HVAC system. Sometimes, the most impactful solution is to give your existing equipment the thermal protection it needs to do its job right. By choosing an innovative coating like ThermalBlock™, Kindred Hospital not only saved on its energy costs but also delivered on its promise of patient comfort.
Are you facing similar thermal-loss issues in your facility? We're ready to share our expertise and help you find a smarter, more cost-effective path to peak energy performance. Contact us today.
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