Hospitals and clinics are among the most conspicuous energy consumers on the planet. The need for infection control introduces a fog of harsh chemicals that are rough on lungs as well as the wastewater stream. Air quality has to be monitored and changed frequently. And because hospitals never sleep, neither do expensive, sensitive respirators and scanning machines. Add to that an interminable flow of disposable needles, gloves and blood bags, and you can understand why so many hospitals have a Godzilla-sized carbon footprint. At the same time, as healing spaces, hospitals are striving to gain ground within the green movement. Healthcare administrators recognize that green buildings are healthy buildings, promoting speedier recovery rates and improving staff performance, while simultaneously saving energy and reducing operations costs.
May 20th, 2008 | Daniel Fenyn | 0 comments | Continued