by
Diana Bradley, Staff Writer | September 26, 2012
From the September 2012 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Low-VOC products help to alleviate this problem, and chemical cleaners, essential for preventing the spread of germs in a hospital setting, can in many cases be switched out for greener alternatives. For example, hospitals like Palomar use cleaning products certified by Green Seal, a non-profit organization that uses science-based programs to empower consumers, purchasers and companies to create a more sustainable world.
Aside from chemicals, a 2006 study by The Center for Health Design proved poor indoor lighting can negatively impact employee performance and increase their stress levels, compromising medical care.
With this in mind, Palomar’s designers, CO Architects, separated the diagnostic-and-treatment wing from the patient tower. This design decision allows for a 1.5-acre green roof with courtyards and skylights to bring natural light into the prep, recovery, and operating areas. In fact, Palomar is one of only two hospitals in the U.S. with natural daylight in the operating rooms.
“There are many non-patient areas in the new facility where many health care systems would not have included such access to nature, views, and sunlight,” says Hamilton. “But studies have shown that this investment in staff contributes to fewer medical errors and increased staff satisfaction.”
Create targets and measure environmental impact
While there are many different ways hospitals are working to make an environmental difference, some of the most common include: Waste minimization and proper segregation, leaner energy and water usage, healthier foods, smarter purchasing of more environmentally friendly products, and decreasing chemical usage and exposure.
Besides cost-savings and internal impact, there is also the global payoff to consider. For example, only about 1 percent of Earth’s water is fresh, and over-consumption, drought, and poor water management have led 36 states in the U.S. to anticipate local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013, according to Hamilton. So, maintaining adequate potable water supplies is a key benefit to smart environmental health planning.
“We monitor and track energy and water use at our most energy-intensive facilities; we have been quite successful at identifying and targeting efficiency measures,” says Hamilton. “In fact, we expect to achieve a 20 percent energy efficiency goal by 2015.”
Meanwhile, Boulder Community Hospital has held steady with its energy consumption and is reducing its use of fossil fuels by adding alternative energy resources.
