Electrical Source
In addition to building out onsite solar, health systems (including Boston Medical Center and Intermountain Health) have engaged in power purchase agreements to speed their transition to renewable energy.
EXPLORE OUR INTERACTIVE HEALTH CAMPUS 
Achievements at the scale of net zero require every caregiver in the system to be involved, and the successful completion of hundreds (if not thousands) of projects. We need every part of the health system to be thinking through, working on, and delivering results in emissions reductions.
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Engine Room
Current standards have hospitals with very high turns of air per hour. Research at Kaiser Permanente has shown that turns of air can be reduced by 30%, vastly reducing energy required for HVAC. At Cleveland Clinic, when the ORs are not in use air changes per hour drop from 20 to 6, without altering the temperature, humidity and pressure of the room
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Cafeteria
Hospital cafeterias convert away from gas to induction stoves and electric ovens, and upgrade to more efficient refrigerators, dishwashers, and steamers. They transition to water conserving fixtures and to using products that are recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable.
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SOLAR PANELS
Covering as much space as possible with solar has an ROI and sends a signal to the community that you are working on emissions reduction. Kaiser Permanente has installed 60 megawatts of onsite solar, enough to power 9600 homes for a year.
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Patient room with hospital bed
Up to 40% of the food patients receive in their rooms is thrown away. Carilion Clinic saved 30,000lb of waste and $50,000 a year from by asking patients before sending them food to their rooms.
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EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Ambulances need to idle their engines to keep on board equipment running. Idling outside the ED creates particulate emissions and CO2. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in Vermont ended that by installing a system that supplies an ambulance with thermostatically controlled heat or A/C inside the vehicle and has a retractable 110v electrical cord to charge the onboard batteries.
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Gift Shop
The most trafficked space in a hospital can demonstrate your commitment to renewables with sustainable products. Leading hospitals look for green certified products, and research products with a net zero supply chain. There are even sustainable stuffed animals!
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Operating room
At Providence Medical Center, anesthesiologists switched from desflurane which has 20 times the heat-trapping power of the alternative sevoflurane and remains in the atmosphere 14 times longer, for 95% of their cases.
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Waste collection
UC San Diego Health brought on a new waste services provider, offered more recycling and composting options, and has reduced waste from 30 pounds per patient per day, to 20 pounds.
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Carbon Offset Forest
Onsite forests absorb carbon and provide shade. They also help health systems achieve LEED certification. Emory University Hospital removed trees to build a new tower, but got LEED by planting three times as many trees in a new location
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Vehicles
Given the deadly impact from airborne burning fossil fuel particulates that are emitted from fossil fuels, health systems need to convert all transport. While it may be a decade before there are options for a health system’s choppers, virtually every other vehicle from ambulances to buses, from vans to delivery cars now has an electric option.
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Parking Lot
Convenient charging stations demonstrate your commitment to a transition to electric vehicles.
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Treatment Room
Efficient water fixtures, computerized HVAC, LED lighting, occupancy sensors, reduced use of disposable plastics, and powering down equipment in unused rooms should be standard in every facility.
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Imaging (MRI, X-Ray)
UCSF Health in San Francisco is deploying new, greener radiology scanner technology while also exploring ways to reduce standby energy consumption. UCSF’s goal is to transition to a carbon-neutral imaging fleet, and to become a model of how to reduce imaging’s energy consumption.
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staff
It has never been more important to recruit and retain staff. Research shows that 64% of Millennials consider a company’s social and environmental commitments when deciding where to work. 83% would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues.
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Office workers
The pandemic has taught health systems a great lesson. INTEGRIS Health has discovered that while some administrative staff need to be onsite – eg.HR, legal, strategy – others are more effective and productive working from home (eg. Revenue cycle). Remote work reduces emissions by decreasing commutes.