Green Guide for Hospitals
Areas to Consider 1.Siting: Was the hospital sited with consideration for alternative transportation, storm water management, urban redevelopment and reducing any impact on the surrounding environment?
2. Water Efficiency: Is the hospital water-efficient, taking advantage of landscaping, water use reduction and innovative waste water use?
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3. Energy and Air Pollution: What has the hospital done to reduce energy consumption and atmospheric pollution, including chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) reductions, renewable energy, reduced energy consumption, green power and reducing ozone?
4. Materials and Resources: Does the hospital use recycled building materials and resources (such as water), local materials or certified wood?
5. Indoor Environmental Quality: What has the hospital done to improve indoor air quality through increased ventilation and incorporating low-VOC paints, adhesives and materials to avoid offgassing of formaldehyde, toluene and other carcinogenic compounds? What steps have been taken to create comfortable temperatures and to enhance daylighting?
6. Healthy Hospital Food: Do patient and staff meals include fresh, local and organic foods?
7. Green Education: Does the hospital train staff in waste reduction, toxics reduction and recycling?
8. Procurement: Does the hospital seek out recycled paper, water-efficient laundering, energy-efficient equipment or other green products?
9. Contaminants: Does the hospital have a program for reduction of toxics such as mercury and PVC (which can leach toxic plasticizers into fluids in IV drip bags and tubing)?
10. Green Cleaning: Does the hospital use cleaning products that do not release hazardous chemicals? Are staff trained in their use?
11. Waste reduction: Does the hospital have a program to segregate medical waste and to reduce, re-use and recycle general waste and furniture and equipment that are no longer needed?
12. Healing Gardens: Does the hospital have healing gardens where patients, staff and visitors can reflect, relieve stress and reconnect with nature? Are there green roofs? Does the landscaping use native plants, which reduce water consumption and the use of pesticides?
Source: The Green Guide, "America's Top 10 Green Hospitals,"
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/feature/2006/03/15/americas-top-10-green-hospitals
 | Resources for Hospitals · Green Building Alliance: www.gbapgh.org The Green Building Alliance is a non-profit organization that advances economic prosperity and human well being in Western Pennsylvania by driving market demand for green buildings and green building products. They accomplish this by focusing on core green building catalysts – a desire for environmentally sound materials and minimal impact, healthy indoor environments and financial payoff in reduced energy, water and other operating costs. There is a local Laurel Highlands chapter that is headed by Peter Spinelli of Concurrent Technologies Corporation in Johnstown. He can be contacted at (814) 269-2819 or by email at spinelli@ctc.com |
· Practice Greenhealth :www.practicegreenhealth.org
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the healthcare community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Members include hospitals, healthcare systems, businesses and other stakeholders engaged in the greening of healthcare to improve the health of patients, staff and the environment.
· Women’s Health & Environmental Network: www.when.org
Women's Health and Environmental Network (WHEN) champions the health of women and their families by reducing environmental exposures through education, research and direct action. In recognizing the nexus between health and environment, the Women's Health and Environmental Network (WHEN) is dedicated to; educating society about this interrelationship, researching the effects of this link upon women and their families, and advocating for policies that minimize or eliminate the exposure of harmful substances at the local, state, and federal levels.
· Healthcare Without Harm: www.noharm.org
Healthcare without Harm is a global coalition of 473 organizations in more than 50 countries working to protect health by reducing pollution in the health care sector.
· Green Guide for Healthcare :www.gghc.org
The Green Guide for Healthcare provides a quantifiable sustainable design toolkit integrating enhanced environmental and health principles and practices into the planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance of their facilities
· Global Health and Safety Initiative :www.globalhealthsafety.org
The Global Health and Safety Initiative is a newly formed umbrella group of health care providers, nonprofit groups, group purchasers and government working to create safer, more environmentally friend health facilities.