Abstract

Among the largest emitters of carbon are healthcare facilities, which are paradoxically treating the populations experiencing the effects of climate change. There is an opportunity, however, for hospitals to lead in the response to the climate crisis by reducing the carbon emissions associated with their operation. To that end, healthcare organisations can benefit from international guidance and support when considering the following questions:

• What can be done to further decarbonise a healthcare estate?
• How are policies, the economy, the industry and the environment working against reaching a carbon emission target?
• How are policies, the economy, the industry and the environment expediting reaching a carbon emission target?

Method: To gain a global view of how countries are responding to the decarbonisation challenge, we’ve collated answers to these questions from exemplar facilities in multiple countries. These facilities are new-build, district general hospitals treating acute inpatients and are assessed against seven criteria: operational carbon; embodied carbon; energy use intensity; water intensity; accessibility / active travel; energy source; and indoor environmental quality.

Convergent and divergent trends of our exemplar projects were analysed and supported by national benchmarking data. To further our analysis, we explore how our exemplar hospitals could be transformed into net-zero carbon facilities and how the introduction of smart healthcare can expedite decarbonisation.

Solution(s): Delegates will learn about the opportunities and constraints of decarbonising hospitals. Insights will be shared into how current regulations, as well as economic, industrial and environmental conditions in a particular country, can affect the level and speed at which decarbonisation of healthcare facilities can be achieved.

Conclusion: Thinking about redundancy, operational energy, costs and digital technologies, how can we understand the best routes to decarbonisation? With varying policies and practices in place around the world, what can we learn from each other? Examining the carbon emissions associated with hospitals across multiple global regions, while also considering environmental, economic, industrial and political perspectives, equips healthcare providers with additional knowledge and further empowers them to make informed decisions on how to decarbonise their healthcare estates.