Hospitals spend $10 billion every year disposing of waste according to the American Hospital Association. As industries everywhere are “going green,” healthcare facilities are implementing green technology programs as well, and the applications can be overwhelming. Not only do sustainability initiatives help reduce hospitals’ carbon footprints, but also increase operational efficiency and promote the patient experience, and hospitals’ relationship with the surrounding community as well as with their employees.
Health facilities consume about two and one-half times the power of a standard commercial facility. They are massive consumers of energy and utilities due to a multitude of contributing factors including: lengthy hours of operations, constant volume environmentally filtered air management, complex waste control systems, and extraordinary primary and secondary power equipment.
5 Green Design Tips:
Get a handle on things. With different waste streams managed in different departments, overseeing waste management is a crucial step to ensure a successful waste treatment program. Hospital waste generally falls into 6 categories: solid, regulated medical, hazardous, pharmaceutical, universal and recycled. Once tracking is in place, health organizations may begin to execute a long term plan to measure sustainability effectiveness and set benchmarks. A facility wide audit of energy, waste and water usage can help in this endeavor to establish a baseline.
Upfront costs are easier to bear than you think. A 2007 survey in Building Design + Construction indicated an expected 3-15% premium for operationally beneficial “green” building materials and systems. Without argument, a short-term premium does exist for these types of facility upgrades, however the strategy is sound. Some of the up front load can be minimized through manufacturers’ inducements and municipal incentives that include abatements or tax credits.
A first class example of a hospital leading the way with green initiatives is Newberg Oregon Hospital. It is the birthplace of the nation’s first hospital to operate entirely on green power. Newberg Oregon Hospital eliminated the burning of fossil fuels saving the environment from over three million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The hospital purchases in excess of 2,160,000 kilowatt hours of renewable power annually from Portland’s General Electric Clean Wind program. In addition, Newberg’s directive implemented processes to reduce solid wastes and increase water efficiency.
Another good example of a health system being proactive in sustainability practices is Catholic Healthcare West (CHW). In 2008 CHW increased food service environmental and sustainable programs by 30%. Also in 2008, the organization accomplished its long term goal of reducing solid and medical waste to less than or equal to 15 pound per adjusted patient for three years. More recently, after partnering with a medical device repurposing company, CHW was able to redirect their medical waste which saved the organization over $500,000 in supply costs.
The flexibility, renewability and sustainability of forward thinking non-polluting engineering design compliments the universal mission of healthcare. As if the benefit of minimal greenhouse effects were not positive enough, factoring for inducements, incentives, abatements, tax credits and energy savings, an educated team can construct near par and save millions for the future.
Through strategic sustainability practices, the savings are real. The truer question is not if hospitals should implement green directives, but when and how aggressive are they willing to be.
James Ellis, CEO, Health Care Realty Development Company, is a nationally recognized successful real estate investor and developer of medical office properties with a comprehensive knowledge of sophisticated real estate transactions, cost effective designs, and efficient property management.
Aaron Razavi is Associate Marketing Director at Health Care Realty Development.
Visit their blog at http://www.hcrealty.com/medicalrealestatedevelopment/
