The Green Series - Article 4 Part 1
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Modernizing hospital operations—such as reducing carbon emissions, optimizing resource efficiency, and managing medical waste—is crucial for advancing public health, planetary well-being, and global sustainability targets. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 goals that aim to create a more sustainable future for all. Green hospitals directly align with several SDGs, making them a crucial component of sustainable development. Green hospitals can play a significant role in achieving many of the SDGs.[1]
SDGs and Healthcare
The SDGs, adopted by the United Nations in 2015, have emerged as a comprehensive framework for addressing global challenges, including those faced by the healthcare sector. The role of hospitals in advancing sustainable development has gained increasing attention. Hospitals are not only integral to the healthcare system but also have a significant impact on the environment and local communities.
As the healthcare sector contributes to environmental degradation and social inequities, hospitals have a responsibility to address these issues and align their practices with the principles of sustainable development. The green hospital model has emerged as a promising approach to integrating sustainable development goals into hospital operations. This model emphasizes the need for hospitals to adopt environmentally-friendly practices, such as energy-efficient design, waste management, and the use of renewable energy sources.
By doing so, hospitals can reduce their carbon footprint, conserve natural resources, and promote the overall well-being of the communities they serve. As the healthcare sector continues to evolve, the integration of sustainable development goals into hospital practices will become increasingly crucial. Hospitals that embrace the green hospital model and align their operations with the SDGs will not only contribute to environmental and social well-being but also enhance the quality of care they provide to their patients.
This shift towards sustainable healthcare will require a concerted effort from hospital leaders, policymakers, and the broader community to drive meaningful change and ensure a more resilient and equitable healthcare system. By aligning their practices with the SDGs, hospitals can play a vital role in promoting social equity, improving patient outcomes, and fostering a more sustainable future for all. [2][3]
By embracing the principles of sustainable development, hospitals can not only contribute to the achievement of the following SDGs but also enhance their own resilience and long-term viability.[4]
a. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being-Healing Environments: SDG 3, focuses on lowering hospital-acquired infections, reducing hazardous chemical exposure, and actively preventing diseases caused by environmental pollution. Green hospitals prioritize indoor 2 air quality, natural lighting, and thermal comfort, creating healthier living and working environments. These contribute to better physical and mental health, aligning with the goal of ensuring good health and well-being for all. Studies show an 8.5% reduction in hospital stays and 22% less painkiller use.[4]
b. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation- Water Stewardship: Reducing heavy water consumption and eliminating toxic chemical run-off. Through efficient water management systems, including rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling, green hospitals reduce water consumption and promote clean water and sanitation. [4]
c. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy- Renewable Energy & Efficiency: SDG 7, emphasizes integrating renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency to minimize the massive carbon footprint of 24/7 medical facilities. Transitioning away from fossil fuels to power round-the-clock medical machinery, solar panels, smart HVAC systems, and optimized insulation. Green hospitals prioritize energy efficiency and often incorporate renewable energy sources such as wind turbines. By reducing energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels, they contribute significantly to achieving universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.
d. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production- Circular Waste Management: SDG 12, highlights sustainable medical waste management, recycling, and minimizing single-use plastics. Digital prescriptions, recycling programs, and safe biomedical waste treatment. Green buildings exemplify sustainable consumption and production patterns by using eco-friendly materials, minimizing waste during construction, and prolonging the life of the building through efficient design and maintenance. Green buildings can help to reduce the consumption of resources and the production of waste. They can also help to promote the use of recycled and sustainable materials. This aligns with the goal of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.
e. SDG 13: Climate Action- Decarbonization Pathways: Carbon neutral facility design and expanding telemedicine services. Minimizing healthcare's substantial contribution to global carbon emissions. Perhaps the most significant contribution of green buildings is their impact on mitigating climate change. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting carbon-neutral or carbon positive designs, they are instrumental in achieving the objectives of climate action by helping to mitigate climate change through reduced
Green House Gases (GHG) emissions and improving energy efficiency.
Conclusion
The provision of hospital services based on sustainability has the potential to contribute to sustainable development by evidencing environmental, social, and financial benefits that go beyond the hospital itself. A collective movement for the development of sustainability in hospitals will positively impact the other companies that are part of their supply chain, reflecting in gains for society and the ecosystem.
References
1. World Health Organization (WHO). Health in the green economy: Health cobenefits of climate change mitigation. Health facilities. 2020
2. United Nations. Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 2015
3. Dion H, Evans M. Strategic frameworks for sustainability and corporate governance in healthcare facilities; approaches to energy-efficient hospital management. Benchmarking: Int J. 2024;31(2):353–90.
4. International Finance Corporation. Green hospitals: Building a sustainable future for healthcare. 2020