- Jul 25, 2024
Introduction
Having a sustainable healthcare facility not just helps the organization, but the environment as well. It is for this reason that more hospitals are being encouraged to have an eco-friendly atmosphere and thus began the advent of sustainable hospitals emerging all over the US. It is practically seen that newly constructed hospitals can easily follow methods to improve sustainability. Nevertheless, earlier hospitals are making efforts with smart renovations. Let us learn how the top healthcare facilities are making a name for themselves in this avenue. Nevertheless, let us learn how the top 10 sustainable hospitals achieve this.
The Top 10 Sustainable Hospitals in the USA
Let’s have a look at the top 10 sustainable hospitals in the US and the approaches they use to be environment-friendly:
1. Gundersen Health System
- Used wind energy and carried out proper waste management efforts to become energy-independent since 2014.
Gundersen Health System, founded in 1959, is a healthcare provider in La Crosse, Wisconsin. With 8,000+ employees, it is a frontrunner in innovative, top-quality, community-based healthcare delivery methods. Likewise, Gundersen has implemented sustainable food sourcing to achieve its environmental-friendly goals. They have an impressive 67% recycling/diversion rate and generate energy using landfill waste and geothermal initiatives. The wind energy they produce is fed into the grid and utilized by homes and businesses.
2. Kaiser Permanente
- Uses energy in an efficient manner through renewable sources and sustainable food programs to be carbon-neutral across its 39 hospitals and 700 other healthcare facilities
Established in 1945, Kaiser Permanente is an integrated controlled care association based in Oakland, California. It is known for the importance it gives for preventive medicine, advanced care delivery models and a dedication to affordable, top-quality care through as integrated system. They have achieved carbon-neutral status and follow a regulated waste settlement. Their healthcare facilities are built by considering the most efficient energy use with high-tech control systems for monitoring, specially designed windows for minimizing solar heat gain and air conditioning necessity and many more green building practices.
3. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
- Reduced the acquisition of 80% of anesthetic gas in a year to effectively reduce its carbon footprint
Based in Lincoln, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital (ALMH) has reduced hospital waste by using recyclable medical plastics and reusable sterilization containers for surgical instruments. Originally founded in 1902, this establishment is setting a high standard for sustainability in the healthcare landscape. In 2018 alone, ALMH shifted 36 tons of waste to a single-stream recycling program and lowered landfill waste by 12 tons. Additionally, greenhouse gases reduced by 10.3% and sugar-sweetened beverage sales decreased by 16.7%. The known adverse effects of anesthetic gas were reduced drastically, inspiring their operation room (OR) team to get more involved in other initiatives.
4. Boston Medical Center
- Its co-generation plant provides 43% of the hospital’s electric needs, saving expenses and helping in disaster relief.
Founded and based in Boston in 1996, Boston Medical Center has initiatives such as rooftop farms, strengthening local food systems, reducing the carbon footprint and increasing green space. Their ‘Preventive Food Pantry’ is where physicians recommend supplemental foods that facilitate health and recovery for many. Their cogen (combined heat and power – CHP or cogen) plant traps and reuses the heat that will have otherwise been let into the atmosphere with a traditional power plant. This gas-fired plant also helps as a backup energy source for the city and the state for communication during emergencies.
5. Cleveland Clinic
- By sourcing 30% of their food through local farmers in sustainable manners, they create a thriving food system that benefits the community
With sustainable expenditure, Cleveland Clinic has designed and built safe, green buildings using evidence-based design. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, this 1921-founded establishment has implemented operational processes to lower waste and chemical use and promote improved supervision of natural resource usage. They choose non-hazardous options to conventional products and encourage caregivers to use these more efficiently. They use farmers’ market programs and offer fresh food with plant-forward options. They also make a sincere effort to gather and review product data to monitor their progress.
6. Hackensack Meridian Health
- Invested in energy efficiency since 2011, reducing 85 million kWh and 5.3 million therms.
Based in Hackensack, New Jersey, Hackensack Meridian Health has developed a system to reduce antibiotic consumption, with 57% of its meat investments being antibiotic-free. Founded in 2016, 97% of their furnishings do not have harmful chemicals, forming a safe and healthy atmosphere. Several of their healthcare organizations have installed rooftop beehives to sustain local ecosystems and encourage pollination. They have formed an Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) partnership with Bernhard and created a set of tools and processes to help measure progress on energy and water use, such as the Building Automation System (BAS) being used in one of their establishments.
7. Harborview Medical Center
- The hospital’s on-site roof solar array significantly reduces carbon emissions, cuts energy costs and provides power during emergencies.
Set up in 1877, Harborview Medical Center, situated in Seattle, Washington, works to reduce the environmental impact of operations by achieving waste diversion, energy conservation, alternative transportation, healthy food purchasing and green buildings. Their rooftop solar array project is also supported by their infrastructural efforts, which include lighting upgrades, fan replacements, heating and cooling upgrades and more.
8. Hudson Hospital (HealthPartners)
- Distributed 30,000+ “veggie prescriptions”, increasing access to healthy food and sustaining a health and honest community food system.
At Hudson Hospital in Hudson, Wisconsin, their power saving endeavors, such as lighting upgrades and ventilation adjustments, make their facilities more efficient and greatly enhance their stakeholders’ comfort. Established in 1953, they’ve also invested in on-site solar arrays and have made subscription agreements to local-community solar gardens, generating millions of solar power each year. Responsible anesthetic gas usage reduces their carbon footprint and costs. They use locally-grown food as much as possible to support sustainable nourishment and deliver healthy meals and snacks. They abide by US Dietary Guidelines, including fresh fruits and vegetables with whole grains in their prescriptions.
9. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- With 20 sustainability task forces, it is an authority and a great example of a corporate culture based on employee and leadership engagement and satisfaction.
Founded in New York City in 1884, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s commitment to sustainability is noticeable in the elements of their program framework: climate action and resilience, energy management, water reduction, waste management/reduction, sustainable procurement, green building and healthy interiors, food and nutrition and stakeholder/staff engagement. Over 500 employees serve on their sustainability committees and task forces. They are committed to limiting waste generation, achieving significant energy savings, enhancing human health within their healthcare facilities and the local community and reducing environmental impacts.
10. Overlook Medical Center (Atlantic Health)
- Their recycled blue wrap tote bags prevented using approximately 100,000 plastic bags and saved the hospital $30,000 in waste handling prices in 2019. They also recycled blue wrap into sleeping bags for the homeless.
Overlook Medical Center, formed in 1906, Summit, New Jersey, produces high-quality energy via solar and cogeneration plants with low emissions. It is building cleaner, more efficient cogeneration power plants and trying to install solar panels on every roof. The hospital recycles at twice the rate instructed by the State of New Jersey and has eliminated single-use plastics, Styrofoam and polystyrene wherever possible by replacing them with greener alternatives. They have refurnished blue wrap as bags to carry belongings and ponchos for the local homeless population, making a commendable use for this non-biodegradable single-use plastic.
Conclusion
Even though new healthcare organizations have a greater advantage in utilizing the latest sustainability techniques, earlier hospitals can upgrade their infrastructure by making minute changes. With unique approaches, these top sustainable hospitals use their energies to make the entire community enjoy a healthier environment. Recognitions by prestigious institutions are encouraging more healthcare organizations to take sustainable initiatives. As seen in the work of the hospitals mentioned here, with pioneering decision-makers initiating environment-friendly changes, we can observe more establishments leaning towards an eco-friendly setting.
