Energy Efficiency

Health care is the second most energy-intensive building sector in the United States, according to Department of Energy. Health care facilities in the U.S. use roughly double the energy of office buildings of comparable size. US EPA studies show that North American hospitals consume twice the energy per square foot as do their European counterparts. (pdf)

At the same time, the health care sector is experiencing the largest boom in health care construction and renovation in decades. Thankfully, a growing number of hospitals are using green building strategies and innovative technologies that reduce energy use — and can also save hospitals substantial amounts of money.

Health Care Without Harm has partnered with stakeholders in the health care and building sectors on the Green Guide for Health Care, the first and only sustainable health care design and operations toolkit tailored specifically to the health care sector.

The Green Guide for Health Care offers over 600 pages of health-based design strategies, reference standards and technologies related to integrated design, sustainable sites, energy and water, safer materials, environmental quality, transportation operations, chemicals policy, waste management, food services and more.

Download the free Green Guide for Health Care, which offers tips and tools for adding healing design features, energy and water efficiency strategies, and safer materials to the health care setting.