Combermere, Ontario – Made possible with an investment of $849,410 from the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Implementation Readiness Fund, the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care (the Coalition) is embarking on an ambitious three-year project to accelerate the readiness of the Canadian health care workforce (HCW) and leadership to undertake climate change mitigation initiatives that will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from health care buildings such as hospitals, health centres, clinics and long-term care homes.
The new project “Preparing Canada’s Health Care Buildings for Net-Zero,” will target GHG emissions from fossil fuel use in buildings, nitrous oxide leakage from bulk storage and distributions systems in hospitals through a ‘Nix the Nitrous/Pas de Protoxyde Canada’ campaign, and hydrofluorocarbons used in metered dose inhalers (MDIs) prescribed by clinicians for treatment of respiratory ailments. Alternative low-carbon inhalers will be promoted where appropriate.
Together with a growing list of subject matter experts, the Coalition team will help identify low carbon heating and renewable energy technologies such as heat pumps, geothermal systems, photovoltaics and heat exchange from sewage systems and deep water district energy systems etc. which may be appropriate for HCFs, and develop a plan to guide prioritization of decarbonization activities.
“By greening our healthcare systems, we are investing in a healthier and cleaner environment for future generations. Projects like these are fostering the knowledge and skills necessary to cut emissions from health care facilities and build a clean economy for years to come,” says the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
This project will focus on knowledge translation, information sharing and workforce development, recognizing that HCFs across Canada are at different stages of readiness for low carbon options at their facilities.
Team members will engage those less involved in GHG mitigation, while leveraging the expertise of HCW leaders to accelerate readiness across the health care sector. Additionally, the team will develop knowledge translation materials and activities, including case studies, fact sheets, infographics, data visualization tools, videos, webinars, and articles related to the three emissions types targeted by the project.
Workforce development will include training the HCW to form and support ‘Green Teams,’ and creating a networking hub to connect them nationwide. Project participants will also have access to training on GHG emissions tracking, low-carbon planning, and using tools such as ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager and RETScreen® Clean Energy Management Software for decarbonization efforts.
“This is the first major initiative in which the Coalition is addressing both the clinical aspects of health care and the physical infrastructure,” says Coalition executive director Dr. Myles Sergeant. “On the clinical side, we are focusing on the deprescribing of metered dose inhalers and the reduction of nitrous oxide medical gas waste. We believe this effort will help break down the silos between these areas, fostering a better understanding of how each can work to reduce GHGs and contribute to building a more sustainable health system – all while ensuring the highest quality of compassionate patient care.”
This is a national project that will take place primarily virtually with engagement from the HCW in both public and private HCFs across Canada. To date, over 50 health care associations, environmental and community groups, university collaboratives, medical institutions, leading health care facilities, authorities and organisations, individual clinicians and health practitioners, and low-carbon technology business have pledged their support to the project.
The Canadian public will benefit from reduced emissions from HCFs as the lessons from this project are implemented and applied to future health care facility operations, construction and retrofits. They will also see more efficiently run facilities which free up operational funds, allowing for reinvestment into other aspects of health care that don’t depend on fossil fuels.
Project details can be viewed at: https://greenhealthcare.ca/net-zero-ready
Learn more about Canada’s commitment to net-zero by 2050 by visiting:
The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care is an alliance of committed Canadian health service organisations, associations and environmentally focused partners driving positive ecological change within the Canadian health care landscape. www.greenhealthcare.ca
Contact: Kent Waddington, Communications Director, CCGHC at kent@greenhealthcare.ca
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