Tools and resources

2023 sustainability data

• Benchmark Report

Each year, Practice Greenhealth collects and reviews comprehensive sustainability data from hospitals that report through the Environmental Excellence Awards. We provide the sector’s best sustainability performance benchmarking data to hospitals and health systems working to integrate sustainability into their mission, and to the health care supply chain partners that are integral to this work.…

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Mayo Clinic: Replacing freezers leads to energy and cost savings

• Case Study
• Sustainable procurement

  A total cost of ownership and Sustainable Health in Procurement Project case study Name of facility, location Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota Highlights The Mayo Clinic had a fleet of over 1,000 lab freezers that use as much energy as about 1,000 homes. They standardized purchasing practices for their fleet of ultra-cold lab freezers to buy more energy-efficient models. By selecting…

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Renewable energy sources for hospitals

• Energy

Hospitals and health systems around the world are investing in clean, renewable energy to protect the health of their patients and communities, attract and retain top-tier talent, increase the resilience of their operations to disasters, and reduce energy costs and price volatility. Combining renewable energy with electricity storage can help hospitals remain operational during extreme weather or…

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Renewable energy: Imperative to act

The health care industry is the only sector with health as its core mission. Open 24/7 and buzzing with high-tech, life-saving equipment, hospitals are incredibly energy-intensive facilities, consuming roughly 2.5 times more energy per square foot than a typical commercial office space. While being used to save lives and improve patient health, this energy is often generated by the combustion of…

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A guide for going carbon neutral

Kaiser Permanente recently became the first health system to achieve carbon neutral status in the country. As the largest integrated, nonprofit health system in the United States, this achievement demonstrates its longstanding commitment to sustainability. Certified by the CarbonNeutral Protocol, the organization has eliminated or offset its 800,000-ton annual carbon footprint, the equivalent of…

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Where to find sustainable products

• Sustainable procurement

Sample third-party labels, certifications, and databases for health care goods and services (Sustainable procurement guide) Finding sustainable products in health care is achievable through a number of resources. The list below provides links to sustainable products identified by Practice Greenhealth, Health Care Without Harm, and labels and certifications specific to the health care sector.…

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Leaner Energy: Background

• Climate and Health
• Leaner Energy

Background Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration illustrates that buildings are responsible for almost half of the energy consumed and 38 percent of all GHG emissions in the United States. According to the EPA, inpatient health care ranks as the second largest commercial energy user after the food service industry. The US Department of Energy notes that hospital energy costs rose…

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Supply chain options to reduce the impacts from freight

• Transportation
• Suppliers and Deliveries
• Tool

The SmartWay Transport Partnership is a voluntary collaboration between EPA and the freight industry designed to increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. SmartWay Transport Partners lead the way towards a cleaner, more efficient transportation future by adopting fuel-saving strategies that increase profits and reduce emissions. The program…

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Best Practices in Energy Efficiency

• Best Practices
• Energy
• Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency can enhance human health by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving outdoor air quality and decreasing acid rain. The energy needed to run commercial and industrial buildings in the United States produces 19 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, 12 percent of nitrogen oxides, and 25 percent of sulfur dioxide, at a cost of $110 billion a year. The health care sector is…

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Circles of Excellence Honorees

• Awards

The Circle of Excellence Awards celebrate hospitals who have not only earned an award for all-around sustainability achievement, but who have also been identified as the top scoring programs for each category of sustainability. LEADERSHIP CIRCLE It all starts with leadership. The Leadership Circle represents the high-performing hospitals that have a strong infrastructure supporting a long term…

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