New Jersey Natural Gas

NEW JERSEY NATURAL GAS AND HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH EMBRACE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TO REDUCE EMISSIONS AND ACHIEVE A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

10/13/2021 - For Immediate Release

Brick, N.J., October 13, 2021 — As New Jersey looks to reduce emissions and build a clean energy future, Hackensack Meridian Health is stepping up by making energy-efficiency upgrades with the help of New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG). Through NJNG’s THE SAVEGREEN Project® (SAVEGREEN), which provides rebates and financing options for energy-efficiency projects, Hackensack Meridian Health is positioned to achieve a more sustainable future with cost-effective solutions to optimize energy consumption and maximize cost savings while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Hackensack Meridian Health is creating more energy-efficient campuses to reduce our environmental footprint and fight climate change, which is part of our network’s comprehensive strategy to improve public health and transform health care,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “The SAVEGREEN Project allows the healthcare industry to play a bigger role in reducing carbon emissions and is an example of the all hands-on deck approach that is needed to create healthier, more sustainable communities throughout New Jersey. We applaud New Jersey Natural Gas and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities for their leadership and support in addressing one of the most urgent public health crises of our time.”

“New Jersey Natural Gas is a leader in promoting commonsense, energy-efficiency programs to help our customers save money while reducing their energy consumption,” said Steve Westhoven, President and CEO of NJNG. “Together with Hackensack Meridian Health, we are committed to making investments that encourage energy-efficiency and have a real impact on our communities and the environment.”

NJNG has committed a total of $29 million in incentives and 0% APR financing for energy-efficiency projects at five Monmouth and Ocean County hospitals — Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center, Bayshore Medical Center, Ocean University Medical Center and Southern Ocean Medical Center — across the healthcare network. This support helps minimize the amount of required upfront investment while maintaining a healthy, safe and comfortable environment for patients and employees. Upgrades include lighting, electrical and mechanical improvements, HVAC and building management systems, caulking and air sealing and other energy-saving measures. The estimated annual energy savings across the five hospitals totals $2.2 million annually.

With an estimated completion time of November 2022, these measures are anticipated to yield Ocean University Medical Center 23,000 MMBTU in total energy savings. This translates to approximately $975,000 in energy savings each year. The totality of the remaining energy-efficiency projects among the four hospitals is expected to be completed by mid to late 2023, and result in estimated combined energy savings of 102,655 MMBTU, preventing the release of 16,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, the same as removing 3,600 cars from New Jersey’s roadways each year.

“I want to commend Hackensack Meridian Health for making energy efficiency a part of the culture in their business model and investing in energy-efficiency measures at all five of their hospitals and medical centers, and New Jersey Natural Gas for providing the financial framework and incentive for these hospitals to make these important investments,” said Joseph L. Fiordaliso, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. “Thank you also for taking advantage of The SAVEGREEN Project, created by the BPU.”

Since 2009, NJNG has invested more than $230 million in energy-efficiency programs through SAVEGREEN, helping more than 66,000 customers save energy and money, and generating over half a billion dollars in economic activity in its service territory. These investments are made possible through programs approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to help New Jersey make progress toward its long-term clean energy goals.

SAVEGREEN’s Engineered Solutions offers a consultative and tailored approach to energy savings and sustainability through engineering and commissioning services for large energy-efficiency projects designed to lower energy utilization and energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is geared toward public service entities, including healthcare facilities, such as Hackensack Meridian Health, municipalities, schools and multifamily dwellings, among others, which have typically been underserved by energy-efficiency programs.

About Hackensack Meridian Health

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit healthcare organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care.

Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 17 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which include three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and JFK University Medical Center in Edison; one university teaching hospital – Ocean University Medical Center in Brick; two children’s hospitals — Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in Neptune; eight community hospitals – Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin; a behavioral health hospital – Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead; and two rehabilitation hospitals — JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has more than 500 patient care locations throughout the state, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness center, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has more than 36,000 team members, and 7,000 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network’s notable distinctions include having more top-ranked hospitals than anyone in New Jersey, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22. Hackensack University Medical Center is the only hospital in New Jersey with the #1 adult and children’s hospital rankings.

John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is New Jersey's best cancer center, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, 2021-22. This premier cancer center is also the largest and most comprehensive center dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, management, research, screenings, and preventive care as well as survivorship of patients with all types of cancers. John Theurer Cancer Center is part of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to ensure that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it.

The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years, welcomed its first class of students in 2018 to its campus in Nutley and Clifton. The Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI), housed in a fully renovated state-of-the-art facility, seeks to translate current innovations in science to improve clinical outcomes for patients with cancer, infectious diseases and other life-threatening and disabling conditions.

Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies. To learn more, visit w ww.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.

About New Jersey Resources

New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR is composed of five primary businesses:

New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR’s principal subsidiary, operates and maintains over 7,500 miles of natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve over half a million customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean and parts of Morris, Middlesex and Burlington counties.
NJR Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar and onshore wind projects with a total capacity of more than 365 megawatts, providing residential and commercial customers with low-carbon solutions.
NJR Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America.
Storage & Transportation serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its 50% equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility and its stake in Dominion Midstream Partners, L.P.
NJR Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey.

NJR and its nearly 1,200 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as The SAVEGREEN Project® and The Sunlight Advantage®.

For more information about NJR: www.njresources.com.

Contact:

Michael Kinney, Media
732-938-1031

Dennis Puma, Investors
732-938-1229

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