Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 36

I N F O CUS
S T R A T E G I C A PPR O A C H E S to D E S I GN C H A L L E N GE S
SUSTAINABILITY
HEEDING THE CALL
Healthcare organizations have been charged with reducing
greenhouse gas emissions in coming years, requiring an exploration
of decarbonization in building construction and operations
By Steven Guttmann, Kim Shinn, and Walt Vernon
36
JUNE/JULY 2022
HCDMAGAZINE.COM
ON APRIL 22-Earth Day-the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services and its Office
of Climate Change and Health Equity, in partnership
with the White House, called on the
healthcare sector to commit to addressing the
climate crisis. They asked organizations to
pledge to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
by half by 2030 and reach zero emissions
by 2050.
This includes U.S. hospitals, health systems,
suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, and
other industry stakeholders. The pledge not
only urges organizations to commit to reducing
emissions but also to publicly report on
their progress, complete an inventory of supply
chain emissions, develop climate resilience
plans for their facilities and communities, and
designate an executive lead for the work.
The reason, stated simply, is that healthcare
buildings, especially hospitals, consume a lot of
energy-twice to more than four times as much
as the typical commercial office building and as
much as 10 times the typical primary school.
Hospitals burn fossil fuels through on-site
combustion, releasing carbon dioxide (the most
common human activity-caused GHG) as a
product of that combustion, mostly to produce
space heating. Hospitals also consume electricity,
which indirectly causes carbon dioxide emissions
from the power plants that produce that
electricity. Besides carbon dioxide from combustion,
the other GHGs that healthcare buildings
emit include methane (mostly in the form
of leakage from natural gas piping); nitrous oxide
(an anesthesia gas); and fluorinated gases
used as refrigerants in coolers, freezers, and air
conditioning systems.
GHGs trap heat in the atmosphere. Adding
GHGs to the atmosphere increases the
heat being trapped, causing climate change.
If the healthcare sector were its own country,
it would be the world's fifth largest emitter of
greenhouse gases.
The health impacts of climate change grow
more obvious daily and include increased allergy
seasons, changing disease vectors, heightened
food and waterborne disease, and rising mental
health and stress disorders. More obvious are
the health impacts of increasingly severe weather
events caused by climate change, especially
DAVID SENIOR

http://www.HCDMAGAZINE.COM

Healthcare Design - June/July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - June/July 2022

Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - Cover1
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - Cover2
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 1
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 2
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 3
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 4
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 5
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 6
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 7
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 8
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 9
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 10
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 11
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 12
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 13
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 14
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 15
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 16
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 17
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 18
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 19
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 20
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 21
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 22
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 23
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 24
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 25
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 26
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 27
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 28
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 29
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 30
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 31
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 32
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 33
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 34
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 35
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 36
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 37
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 38
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 39
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 40
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 41
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 42
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 43
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 44
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 45
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 46
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 47
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - 48
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - Cover3
Healthcare Design - June/July 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/20240102
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/20230607
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/20230102
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/20220607
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/20220102
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/healthcaredesign/healthcare-design-april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/20200607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/20190607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/20180607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/20160607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/healthcaredesign/201308
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com