Sustainability Myths in Healthcare

When talking about sustainability, the most common questions are, “What is it?” followed by, “Where do we start?” For those of us involved in the healthcare space, the American Society of Healthcare Engineers (ASHE) defines sustainability as the balance between environmental responsibility, social equity, and fiduciary to create healthy and resilient communities. While this provides a solid foundation, there’s still a lot to unpack. Sustainability in healthcare is about providing the best patient care while ensuring that the buildings we design, build, and operate don’t make conditions worse for patients and earth inhabitants through carbon emissions. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that the United States health sector is responsible for an estimated 8.5% of national carbon emissions, are a direct result of healthcare facility operations, energy consumptions, and supply chain needed to support these facilities.

On the surface, reducing this large quantity of carbon emissions seems daunting and has in part contributed to myths in the industry about sustainability as well as decarbonization. As a way to drive sustainability forward, Team Henderson collaborates with healthcare leaders to navigate these challenges, ensuring facilities meet sustainability goals and maintain operational efficiency when needed most. The following are common myths we regularly discuss in the healthcare space and considerations to change the conversation. 

MYTH #1 SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS ARE EXPENSIVE 

There are several layers to the cost of sustainable designs and often when examining only one layer or only considering short term costs, the data set is incomplete. When considering options during the design phase of an addition or new construction, the cost of low flow fixtures, LED lighting, and new, likely higher efficiency equipment, may have a higher upfront cost but will reduce longer term utility use at the hospital or campus and potentially contribute less waste and emissions to the environment. Most of the newer more efficient technologies are widely utilized resulting in the upfront cost of these items dropping in the last few years. Similarly, when considering infrastructure upgrades, the cost of a new chiller or boiler may be considered high in the short term. However, long-term financial and sustainable considerations through higher efficiency of the equipment may lead to cheaper utility bills and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Other “greener” options like solar farms (collection of photovoltaic solar panels) or wind farms (collection of wind turbines) have seen major upfront cost reductions due to an increase in popularity and various green initiatives at a local or national level to assist with alleviating cost.  

MYTH #2 RENEWABLE ENERGY IS UNRELIABLE 

While there have been some historical concerns about utilizing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, the technological advancements in energy storage, including lithium-ion technology, have improved the reliability of these renewable energy sources. This is in part due to the growing demand for renewable energy worldwide as well as the additional energy storage needs growing across many other sectors such as mission critical. The International Energy Agency estimates that the United States is expected to double the pace of renewable capacity growth between 2024 and 2030. This additional attention and focus will allow continued resources and technologies to improve the current renewable energy sources. 

Additionally, the approval of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Categorical Waiver for Health Care Microgrid Systems in 2023, permitting hospitals to utilize a microgrid for emergency power. A microgrid is a small-scale electrical grid with electricity being provided by renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, fuel cells or energy storage systems.   

MYTH #3 EXISTING HOSPITALS ARE TOO COMPLEX 

The U.S. Department of Energy has reported that hospitals rank as the second most energy-intensive building type in the country. There are many aspects to energy use in hospitals including the primary driver, heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC), which represents 52% of their overall energy usage. Additional energy consumption comes from lighting, power for imaging equipment, hot water heating, and elevators.   

There are many current strategies and technologies in place that will allow hospitals to reduce energy and natural gas consumption. ASHE has created a great road map to support each facility in building their sustainability program. Many lower cost strategies such as upgrading insulation, energy-efficient lighting, utilizing motion sensors, optimizing HVAC, and implementing operating room setbacks can help lower utility bills without major capital financing. Continuing regular maintenance items like replacing air filters and maintaining a regular controls sequence can also support building systems operating as intended. 

HENDERSON DRIVES SUSTAINABILITY FORWARD 

With the continued focus on sustainability by Health and Human Services, CMS, and many of the accreditation organizations, we must continue to talk about sustainability and work towards dispelling any existing myths that overshadow the reality of sustainable healthcare design. By addressing these misconceptions early on, we can continue to make progress toward delivering the best patient care possible. At Henderson Engineers, we’re committed to advancing sustainable forward-thinking solutions that support healthcare providers and the patients they serve.