A green hospital is a healthcare facility that emphasizes sustainability by reducing its environmental impact. It achieves this through energy efficiency, utilizing renewable energy sources, and employing eco-friendly materials such as low-VOC paints and bio-bricks. These hospitals adopt water conservation practices, focus on effective waste management to lessen their ecological footprint, and maintain high indoor air quality with proper ventilation and non-toxic materials. They are designed to be adaptable, allowing for changes in healthcare needs, and often include green spaces that offer therapeutic benefits. Additionally, they provide locally sourced food options to minimize carbon footprints and engage in community outreach to foster environmental responsibility, creating a harmonious blend of healthcare and sustainability that benefits patients, staff, and the wider community.

How to convert an existing hospital to a green hospital?

Transforming an existing hospital into a green hospital requires the implementation of sustainable practices throughout various operations. Begin by enhancing energy efficiency through the installation of renewable energy sources like solar panels and upgrading to energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems. Use sustainable materials, such as low-VOC paints, recycled flooring, and eco-friendly insulation, during renovations or new constructions. Implement water conservation strategies by installing low-flow fixtures, creating water-efficient landscapes, and setting up greywater recycling systems. Improve waste management processes to boost recycling rates and ensure the safe disposal of medical waste. Focus on enhancing indoor air quality with proper ventilation systems and by using non-toxic, green-certified cleaning products. Adapt existing spaces with flexible designs that allow for easy reconfiguration to address changing healthcare needs and emergencies. Create healing green spaces around the hospital, such as gardens or green rooftops, to provide therapeutic benefits for patients and staff. Additionally, consider adopting local and sustainable food procurement practices to support local economies and reduce the facility's carbon footprint. Engage in community outreach and education to raise awareness about sustainability and promote environmentally responsible behavior. By integrating these initiatives, a hospital can significantly reduce its environmental impact while fostering a healthier environment for both patients and staff. Hospital Electrical Safety Audit may be carried out once in a year to identify and repair anomalies.

Way forward to a Green Hospital

Conduct Electrical Safety Audits : Conduct electrical safety audit of the hospital with a competent electrical safety audit firm, ensure to conduct detailed thermal imaging audit of the electrical installation. Thermography or Thermal imaging helps to identify hidden risk of fire, energy wastages and other anomalies well in advance and helps to initiate corrective measures.

When new additions or alterations are carried out in electrical installations or for new hospitals, Pre Opening electrical inspection or Pre Commissioning electrical safety audit may be carried out to ensure compliance with standards and ascertain safety from the beginning of operations.

Conduct a detailed energy audit :- Energy audit helps to understand the energy consumption pattern, and opportunities to optimise energy consumption and energy cost. Every hospital must carry out energy audits at least once in 3 years. Electrical safety audits of hospitals may be carried out once in a year.

Training and Development of employees :- Training is essential for every employee to ensure continual improvement and growth. Electrical safety training, Energy conservation training, Specific training programs on maintenance management etc may be carried out at specific intervals to empower employees to upgrade and enrich. Use electronic and print materials including Electrical safety posters, Energy conservation posters to improve awareness of employees. Employees may be trained continuously to understand and adapt new standards and regulations, for example Rubber mats are still widely used in electrical rooms instead of Insulating mats, as per standards electrical insulating mats may be used in place of rubber mats. 

Continuously monitor all performance indices like Energy consumption, Water consumption, Fuel consumption and other parameters and for ensuring continual improvement.