68 of the greenest hospitals in America | 2018

Becker's Healthcare is pleased to name 68 of the most "green" hospitals in the U.S.

Hospitals across the nation are taking steps to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable. These measures are improving the health of their communities and helping the institutions become more cost-effective. Hospitals featured on this list have made community stewardship at the environmental level a top priority and incorporated green building efforts into expansions as well as embraced projects to reduce waste and energy consumption.

The Becker's editorial team considered nominations and conducted editorial research when developing this list. Several of the hospitals featured on this list have been recognized with Practice Greenhealth awards, U.S. Green Building Council recognition and accolades from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Note: This list is not a comprehensive list of green hospitals and is not an endorsement of included hospitals. Hospitals do not pay for inclusion on this list, and they are listed in alphabetical order.

For questions and comments on this list, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com

Advocate Christ Medical Center (Oak Lawn, Ill.). In 2018, Advocate Christ Medical Center was honored with Practice Greenhealth's Green Building Circle of Excellence Award, which is given to hospitals that have attained LEED certification and other innovative green building achievements in the last five years. Advocate Christ Medical also was honored with Practice Greenhealth's Emerald Award and System for Change Award, an award it has received for the last 10 years. The hospital achieved LEED Gold certification for its nine-story outpatient facility, developed in 2015, and its eight-story East Tower in 2017. Advocate Christ Medical Center is a recipient of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering’s Received Energy to Care Award, which recognizes organizations for reducing their energy use by 10 percent or more.

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital (Downers Grove, Ill.). Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital received Practice Greenhealth's Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award for a fifth consecutive year in 2018. In 2017, the hospital reduced its energy consumption by 2.9 percent, recycled 82 percent of its construction waste and saved $2.1 million by reprocessing medical devices. The hospital's 200,000-square-foot expansion, which added three floors and 96 new private rooms, achieved LEED Silver certification in 2017. The building features low-flow fixtures, improved energy performance and sustainable building materials as well as landscaping with native plants to reduce irrigation needs. To increase employee sustainability engagement, Advocate Good Samaritan implemented organizationwide programs geared toward paper and printing reduction and monthly "energy hours" to save energy and money.

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital (Barrington, Ill.). Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital completed a $200 million expansion in 2017, and currently is seeking LEED certification. The new building features a green roof that absorbs rainwater and energy-conserving insulation. In 2018, the hospital earned Practice Greenhealth’s Emerald Award, which recognizes the top 20 percent of applicants focused on advanced sustainability. In 2016, Advocate Good Shepherd launched a boiler plant optimization project and an LED lighting upgrade. The hospital also decreased its water consumption by 500,000 gallons in 2016.

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center (Chicago). In 2008, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center became the first hospital in Chicago to earn the EPA's Energy Star designation. This year, the hospital received Practice Greenhealth's Greenhealth Emerald Award, which recognizes the top 20 percent of applicants focused on sustainability. The hospital's Center for Advanced Care opened in 2015, and it features sustainable design elements including a 21,000-square-foot park behind the building and a 50 percent green roof. The hospital achieved LEED Silver certification in 2015.

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (Park Ridge, Ill.). In 2009, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital created the Green LEEDers Task Force to focus on the hospital’s environmental sustainability efforts. The group increased recycling efforts to include glass, plastic, aluminum and mercury. In 2018, the hospital was awarded Practice Greenhealth’s Greenhealth Emerald Award, which recognizes hospitals within the top 20 percent of Partners for Change applicants focused on advanced sustainability programs.

Advocate Trinity Hospital (Chicago). This year, Advocate Trinity Hospital was awarded Practice Greenhealth's Greenhealth Emerald Award, which recognizes the top applicants focused on advanced sustainability programs. Practice Greenhealth also bestowed its Greening the OR Recognition Award, which honors hospitals that have made substantial progress in reducing the environmental impact of the surgical environment, on Advocate Trinity Hospital in 2017. The hospital is an affiliate of Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care, which received Practice Greenhealth’s System For Change Award for the 10th consecutive year in 2018. The award honors health systems that work collectively to set systemwide sustainability goals, track performance data and implement environmental learning initiatives within their institutions.

Amery (Wis.) Hospital and Clinic. In 2017, Amery Hospital and Clinic changed its irrigation habits to reduce the amount of water used on campus grounds. This environmental initiative earned Amery's designation as a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. Amery is the first property in Wisconsin, and the 34th property in the world, to achieve the certification. The hospital also was honored with a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Water Circle of Excellence Award, which recognizes hospitals for their exemplary programs in water conservation and efficiency. It also received the Greenhealth Emerald Award for its efforts in mercury elimination, reducing and recycling waste and sustainable sourcing.

Aspen (Colo.) Valley Hospital. In August 2017, two Aspen Valley Hospital employees who led the hospital's wellness program started "Green Up, Clean Up," a program dedicated to reducing and recycling hospital waste. Since launching the program, more than 30 Aspen Valley staff members have joined and stepped up to help, with most of the program's efforts being education and learning what can, and cannot, go into a recycling can as it transitioned from sorted to single-stream recycling. In 2017, "Green Up, Clean Up" earned the hospital's Custom Learning Systems' Pinnacle Achiever HealthCare Service Excellence Award for Innovation. This spring, Aspen Valley rolled out its "Think Before You Print" hospitalwide campaign as a way to reduce the amount of paper-generated waste. The hospital is working on its latest launch to reduce landfill waste, a composting program for its main café and senior housing.

Atlantic Health System (Summit, N.J.). A member of the New Jersey Sustainable Business registry, Atlantic Health System promotes environmentally sustainable initiatives in multiple aspects of its healthcare system. In addition to providing carpooling services and incentives to its employees, Atlantic's environmental services departments use Green Seal-certified cleaning products wherever possible. In 2013, Atlantic Health System's Summit-based Overlook Medical Center became the first New Jersey hospital to install beehives on its roof, the success of which prompted sister hospitals within the Atlantic system to begin installing their own apiaries. Benefits of the beehives include fresh honey and beeswax as well as education programs about sustainability and the environment. In 2018, Atlantic's Overlook Medical Center received Practice Greenhealth's Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award and the Greening the OR Recognition Award.

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak (Mich.). In 2016, Beaumont Hospital received the Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award from Practice Greenhealth, and in 2012, the hospital earned the Detroit Free Press Michigan Green Leader Award. The hospital's "Green Team" consists of more than 700 members who have taken on initiatives such as developing a community garden program and raising money for speech and language therapy scholarships for children by selling recycled electronics. Beaumont also converted its fluorescent lighting systems to less costly and more energy-efficient LED lighting.

Bon Secours St. Francis Eastside (Greenville, S.C.). Bon Secours St. Francis Eastside became the first hospital in South Carolina to be recognized as an EPA Energy Star hospital in 2012, a title it has held consecutively since. The honor is bestowed on hospitals that meet strict EPA performance standards in conservation efforts of energy, gas emissions and more. In fall 2018, St. Francis Eastside launched an initiative to reduce plastic waste by phasing out all its plastic straws in favor of paper ones and moving from plastic eating utensils to reusable, stainless steel cutlery. In 2018, the hospital received Practice Greenhealth's Emerald Award, which recognizes the top 20 percent of applicants focused on sustainability programs and exemplary scores in a variety of environmental categories.

Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital (Richmond, Va.). In 2018, St. Mary's Hospital earned recognition as a Practice Greenhealth Greening the OR Award winner, which honors hospitals that have made substantial progress in reducing the environmental impact of the surgical environment. The hospital recycled an estimated 20 tons of surgical instrument packaging in 2016. The hospital’s affiliate Marriottsville, Md.-based Bon Secours Health System earned Practice Greenhealth’s 2018 System For Change Award, which recognizes health systems that work collectively to set systemwide sustainability goals, track performance data and support intraorganizational environmental education.

Boston Medical Center. Boston Medical Center is a 2018 recipient of Practice Greenhealth's Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award, which recognizes U.S. hospitals that lead in sustainability innovation and superior programming. In 2017, the hospital developed a new, 7,000-square-foot rooftop farm to provide produce for the hospital as well as its surrounding community. In addition to reducing Boston Medical Center's carbon footprint through the increase of green space and carbon-breathing plants, the produce grown is used as part of the hospital's nutrition and healthy food access education in its community-teaching kitchen. In 2017, the hospital underwent a redesign to cut carbon emissions by 50 percent through a solar power purchase agreement that is equivalent to about 100 percent of Boston Medical Center’s estimated electricity consumption. Practice Greenhealth also awarded the hospital with the following 2018 Circle of Excellence Awards: Energy Circle, Climate Circle and Green Building Circle.

Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston). Brigham and Women’s Hospital earned Practice Greenhealth’s Greenhealth Partner for Change 2018 Award, which recognizes superior performance in environmental sustainability and substantive progress in mercury elimination. The hospital achieved LEED Gold certification for its transformative medicine building in 2016. Designed with a cogeneration plant, the building provides 80 percent of its own power and steams the same for its adjacent building. The transformative medicine clinic also features a 40,000-gallon cistern to capture stormwater for reuse and an underground parking garage with spots for electric and low-emission vehicles and bicycles.

Bronson Methodist Hospital (Kalamazoo, Mich.). In 2018, Bronson Methodist Hospital earned Practice Greenhealth's Greening The OR Recognition Award, which recognizes hospitals that have reduced the environmental impact of the surgical environment, and the Partner for Change Award. Recognized for its superior performance in environmental sustainability, the hospital achieved recognition as a Gold-designated bicycle-friendly business by the League of American Bicyclists in 2017. Bronson Methodist Hospital became Kalamazoo’s first LEED-certified healthcare facility in 2007. It cut energy costs by 75 percent after switching out all of its outdoor lighting with LED technology. Additionally, the hospital has installed water-filling stations for employees to easily refill their own reusable bottles and implemented plastic foam recycling and employee Bike2Work programs.

Children's Health (Dallas). With 25 percent of its electricity usage coming from renewable energy, Children’s Health is on track to become one of the largest renewable electricity users among pediatric healthcare providers. As an EPA Green Power Partner, the hospital established a long-term Green Power contract in 2016 to purchase green power for five years or more. In conjunction with Bridgevue Energy Services, Children's Health secured a renewable energy mix of solar and wind power, allowing the hospital to focus on long-term sustainability. Children's Health Sustainability Council, which includes representatives from a variety of positions and backgrounds within the organization, was assembled to create long-term goals for environmental sustainability, and over the last six years, the hospital's recycling programs have helped to save more than 600 trees. In 2018, Children's Health was named Environmental Services Department of the Year by the Association for the Healthcare Environment and was a Plano Environmental Community Award winner in 2017.

Cleveland Clinic. A member of the Health Care Climate Council, Cleveland Clinic recently announced plans to become carbon-neutral by 2027. In 2017, the hospital planted a 4-acre park with school students and community members and gave away 300 trees through its partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. Cleveland Clinic has completed 13 LEED-certified projects, eight silver and four gold. The hospital replaced about 400,000 fluorescent tubes with LED lighting in 2017, which reduced its carbon footprint by nearly 19,400 tons of carbon dioxide annually. To increase its recycling efforts, Cleveland Clinic launched its "Kick the Can" program, which decreased the amount of individual trash cans designated for employees and providers, replacing them with centralized stations that include comingled recycling, paper recycling and trash. In 2018, Practice Greenhealth recognized the hospital with its Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award, as well as the System For Change, Leadership Circle of Excellence and Greening the OR Circle of Excellence Awards.

Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital (Garfield Heights, Ohio). Since 2009, LEED-certified Marymount Hospital's Green Team has spearheaded its clinical plastics recycling program, making it one of the first community hospitals to undertake the program. In March 2012, Marymount Hospital opened a surgery center designed to promote water efficiency, energy savings and air quality improvement.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, N.H.). With 369 beds and 34 operating rooms, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center focuses on green initiatives to benefit the entire hospital. The hospital's composting has increased by 56 percent in the last two years. Dartmouth-Hitchcock is a member of the Greenhealth Exchange, a purchasing cooperative created by Practice Greenhealth, Health Care Without Harm and various health systems. In 2017, the hospital's waste management and purchasing departments created a request for proposal for the responsible and transparent recycling of electronics waste and the resale of functional computers. Its various efforts to support the environment earned the medical center recognition as a Practice Greenhealth 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honoree.

Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas (Austin). A LEED-certified facility and the first hospital in the world to earn LEED platinum status, Dell Children's spans 32 acres, 20 percent of which is land devoted to open vegetated space to promote biodiversity and rain infiltration. The hospital prioritizes sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. It saves close to 1.4 million gallons of water annually by using native landscaping instead of irrigated turf grass. Dell Children's also estimates that by installing fluorescent lights, automatic on and off switches and high-efficiency air conditioning, among other initiatives, it has saved enough energy to power, heat and cool nearly 300 average-sized homes daily.

Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas (Austin). Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas invested $260 million to build the hospital in accordance with Gold Level LEED designation. The hospital now seeks $50 million in donations to finalize itself as a "green" building. With 211 beds and space to add 135 more, Dell Seton Medical Center also features a pedestrian- and bike-friendly campus. Its natural light features and views of Waller Creek to promote healing through connection to nature. The downtown Austin hospital expects to attract researchers, entrepreneurs and other life science innovators.

Erie (Pa.) VA Medical Center. The 52-bed Erie VA Medical Center is among Practice Greenhealth's 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honorees, with plans to reduce water use by 26 percent by 2020. The hospital floats in the 90th percentile for water use savings. Located among the Great Lakes, Erie VA Medical Center partnered with the U.S.-Canada binational Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to reduce pollutants and prevent harmful blooms in Lake Erie. The hospital also created a rain garden to remove sediment and pollutants from entering streams and lakes while providing a meditative place for patients and visitors.

Eskenazi Health (Indianapolis). Recognized as a LEED Gold campus, Eskenazi Health's main downtown site is among the first hospitals in the U.S. and the first in the state to achieve this designation. Eskenazi Health's Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital features a one-of-a-kind sky farm on the rooftop of its outpatient care center. The health system has a reputation for creating cleaner, healthier and more energy-efficient environments. On top of its initiatives in the hospitals, Ekenazi Health was awarded the Bronze designation by the League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle-Friendly Business program for its bike rack inclusion. Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital has also been named one of the Top 20 Most Beautiful Hospitals in the U.S. by Soliant Health.

Good Samaritan Hospital (Puyallup, Wash.). Part of Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health System, Good Samaritan Hospital Dally Tower is the first green hospital in Washington. Built with the environment in mind, the tower features locally sourced construction materials and green roofs with native plants to absorb energy. The tower has rain gardens and stormwater runoff collection as well as outdoor places of respite, such as a meditative labyrinth and walking paths. With all of these efforts, along with its high-efficiency air conditioners to reduce energy use and sun shards on southern exposure windows, to cut down air conditioning use, Good Samaritan earned LEED Gold Certification.

Gundersen Health System (La Crosse, Wis.). In 2008, Gundersen Health System began implementing dozens of renewable energy projects. With all of its efforts, the health system became the first-ever to achieve energy independence in October 2014. Today, Gundersen harnesses energy from a two-turbine wind farm. The health system also uses a solar hot water heater and installed 375 solar panels on the roof of its behavior health building to reduce energy usage. By installing the solar panels, Gundersen Health estimates $15,000 in savings annually. All of these efforts and more earned Gundersen Health Practice Greenhealth's Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award in 2017.

HackensackUMC (Hackensack, N.J.). The 781-bed Hackensack University Medical Center is among Practice Greenhealth's 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honorees. With efforts to promote sustainability, 87 percent of Hackensack's procured furnishings met Practice Greenhealth's healthy interiors criteria. Hackensack also established a strong environmentally preferred purchasing policy. On top of its efforts to remain environmentally friendly, Hackensack is also a leader in antibiotic stewardship, with more than 75 percent of its purchased meat and poultry raised without non-therapeutic antibiotics.

Harborview Medical Center (Seattle). Harborview Medical Center has 413 beds and 26 operating rooms to serve Seattle and the surrounding areas. With a focus on food and nutrition the medical center locally sources 11 percent of its food, and 15 percent of its food is sustainable. The hospital also adopted a "less meat, better meat" philosophy. Dietitians at Harborview Medical Center also host a nutrition conference to showcase its farm-based focus and efforts to reduce malnutrition and food waste. Practice Greenhealth took notice of Harborview Medical Center's achievements, making it a 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honoree.

Hudson (Wis.) Hospital & Clinic. Hudson Hospital & Clinic is among Practice Greenhealth's 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honorees. With only 25 beds and three operating rooms, the small hospital has made huge changes in green guidelines and practices. In 2017, the hospital updated its purchasing guidelines to reflect a commitment to eliminating plastic-bottled beverages and Styrofoam. Hudson Hospital & Clinic also replaces its plain copy paper with 30 percent-recycled content paper while issuing a comprehensive hazardous waste request proposal and waste minimization. The hospital also bought three electric vehicles with the potential to eliminate 44 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, Va.). With a "green team" in place at Inova Fairfax Hospital, the 833-bed hospital received the Partner Recognition from Practice Greenhealth in 2017. The hospital is an active member in the Healthier Hospital Initiative, which challenges hospitals to reduce energy and waste, choose safer and less toxic products and serve healthier foods. Built in 2012, Inova Fairfax Hospital's medical and surgical tower received LEED Silver certification, making it Inova's first building designed and constructed to LEED standards.

Intermountain Healthcare (Salt Lake City). As Utah's largest private employer, Intermountain Healthcare supports sustainable operations through a variety of initiatives. The health system's Fillmore Community Hospital features a community garden with 33 plots. It's watered with solar-powered valves to reduce energy and water use. Other hospitals feature gardens with fresh fruits and vegetables while also giving patients a place to connect with nature and have therapy outside. At Orem Community Hospital, a 46-plot garden is watered using drip irrigation. The health system allows patients and community members to submit ideas that foster healthy living for continuous innovation.

Intermountain LDS Hospital (Salt Lake City). Intermountain LDS Hospital patients and staff have access to electric car-charging stations as part of the hospital's green initiatives. The hospital recycles around 26 percent of everything that comes through its doors and uses flat mops to reduce the water and chemicals needed to clean. The hospital launched an environmental services team that works with departments to improve recycling to 30 percent or higher. With the environmental services team in place, Intermountain estimates it saves 55,000 plastic bags annually.

Iowa Methodist Medical Center (Des Moines). Part of UnityPoint Health, Iowa Methodist Medical Center is among the greenest hospitals in the U.S. because of its programs to reduce food waste. The hospital adopted food composting in its kitchens and cafeterias, reducing the amount of food the 370-bed facility sends to landfills. Iowa Methodist Medical Center also incorporated single-stream recycling to ease the process. The system allows paper, fibers, plastics, metals and other containers to be mixed when recycling.

James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center (Altoona, Pa.). At the 51-bed James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center, 10.4 percent of its energy is from renewable sources. The hospital implemented 20 projects involving energy savings into its strategic capital investment planning. The hospital transitioned to LED lighting and holds an environmental fair periodically. James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center has a green environmental management system program manager, a certified endangered species biologist who speaks regularly to educate staff and the community. The medical center is also the first VA hospital to inventory and transition to alternative fuel vehicles. Its efforts landed the hospital on Practice Greenhealth's 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honorees list.

Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). Since joining Practice Greenhealth in 2014, Johns Hopkins Hospital has been awarded the Greenhealth Emerald Award, Partner for Change and Making Medicine Mercury Free awards, among others. The hospital features 39 green-certified offices and units to complement its 65,000-square-foot green roof. Johns Hopkins Hospital installed a solar farm with 43,000 panels and through cogeneration technology reduces 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. Between 2011 and 2016, Johns Hopkins Hospital increased its recycling from 1 percent to 17 percent and reduced medical waste from 33 percent to 12 percent.

Kaiser Permanente Irvine (Calif.) Medical Center. The 434,000-square-foot Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center has many green features as it works toward the system's overall effort to be carbon neutral by 2020. Kaiser's Chairman and CEO Bernard Tyson, a noted environmentalist, delivered remarks at the opening of the Global Climate Action Summit in September. The Kaiser Permanente health system has reduced its net greenhouse gas emissions by 29 percent since 2008. Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center received Practice Greenhealth's Partner Recognition Award in 2017.

Kaiser Permanente San Jose (Calif.) Medical Center. A Practice Greenhealth Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award winner in 2018 for the first time, Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center is dedicated to sustainability. The facility has an environmental mission statement and a network of employees dedicated to championing green practices. The hospital has participated in several eco-friendly practices, including bike to work day, e-waste collections and several wellness events. Kaiser Permanente San Jose was also honored in 2018 as part of the Practice Greenhealth's Greening the OR Circle and its Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Circle.

Kaiser Permanente Vacaville (Calif.) Medical Center. Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center was recognized by Practice Greenhealth with several honors, including induction into the 2018 Circle of Excellence Climate Circle. The hospital is also a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Emerald Award winner and a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Greening the OR honoree. As a system, Kaiser Permanente has issued $1 billion in green bonds to fund LEED Gold- and Platinum-level projects and has joined several climate leadership initiatives in California, including a goal to be carbon-neutral by 2020.

Kiowa County Memorial Hospital (Greensburg, Kan.). Touting a LEED Platinum certification since 2011, Kiowa County Memorial Hospital has several notable green features. Over the years, the hospital has paid particular attention to water efficiency and indoor air quality, deploying efforts for significant improvements. The U.S. Green Building Council also noted the hospital's innovation initiatives, awarding it a perfect score for exceeding the requirements for the new-construction green-building rating system.

Lakeview Hospital (Stillwater, Minn.). Earning a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award for the first time, Lakeview Hospital has implemented several green initiatives. At the system level, Lakeview cut its water use and implemented an operating room recycling program. The hospital also participates in the Stillwater community's solar program, purchasing 969,000 kilowatts of solar power per year. Some 31 percent of the hospital's energy comes from renewable sources and 57 percent is carbon-free. The hospital is also in the process of converting a portion of its vehicular fleet into eco-friendly vehicles.

Littleton (Colo.) Adventist Hospital. Having developed a green team in 2008, Littleton Adventist Hospital is championing an environmentally responsible culture that works to implement green initiatives throughout the health system. Practice Greenhealth awarded Littleton Top 25 Environmental Excellence awards in 2014 and 2015. Littleton touts a 36 percent waste diversion rate and has implemented many energy-reduction initiatives, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized by awarding the hospital four Energy Star awards.

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford (Palo Alto, Calif.). Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford is the first children's hospital on the West Coast and the second children's hospital in the U.S. to earn LEED Platinum certification. The 521,000-square-foot main hospital building features 3.5 acres of gardens and green space. The building incorporates several elements that reduce solar heat gain, conserve water and incorporate recycled materials.

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital (Pittsburgh). UPMC has several green incentives unique to Magee-Womens Hospital. Its neonatal intensive care unit uses plastic materials free of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and polyvinyl chloride. The hospital has a comprehensive recycling program that even reaches its laboratories, where alcohol is recycled. Magee-Womens won a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Partner for Change Award in 2018.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York City). A 2018 Practice Greenhealth Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award winner, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has a staff dedicated to avoiding chemicals of concern. Because of the staff's level of expertise, Memorial Sloan Kettering shares its insights with other Practice Greenhealth hospitals and product suppliers to reduce reliance on chemicals of concern. In addition to the Top 25 honor, Practice Greenhealth bestowed seven other honors on Memorial Sloan Kettering in 2018.

Metro Health Hospital (Wyoming, Mich.). Featuring a 48,500-square-foot living roof, Metro Health is at the forefront of several green initiatives. The health system converted to a microfiber mop system, reducing annual water use by 43,000 gallons and reducing chemical use by 90 percent. Metro Health has been LEED certified since 2008 and has been recognized with several Practice Greenhealth honors, including a Less Waste Circle and a Greenhealth Partner for Change honor.

Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The Minneapolis VA Health Care System is a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award winner, receiving eight additional Practice Greenhealth honors this year. The system is pioneering several unique initiatives including installing filtered water systems and cutting down on meat consumption. Concerning traditional methods, the Minneapolis VA touts an Energy Star score of 83, which places the system in the top 17 percent in the U.S., and the VA has lower water-use intensity than the median Practice Greenhealth member.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center (New York City). NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center leads its commitment to sustainability through the NYPgreen initiative. The initiative is responsible for all green actions at NewYork-Presbyterian, and the Sustainability Committee guides green decisions at all six NewYork-Presbyterian campuses. The hospital targets several conservation areas, including waste minimization, sustainable food, employee engagement, supply donations and energy use to boost its environmental initiatives. Practice Greenhealth bestowed its Practice Greenhealth Partner Recognition Award on NewYork-Presbyterian in 2018.

NorthShore University HealthSystem Evanston (Ill.) Hospital. NorthShore University HealthSystem's Evanston Hospital is in the midst of a series of environmental initiatives. The health system installed a cooling water management system that has saved millions of gallons of water and uses all fluorescent lamp technology, saving several hundred-thousand kilowatts. Practice Greenhealth named Evanston Hospital a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Emerald Award winner, a 2018 Practice Greenhealth System for Change winner and a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Greening the OR recognition winner.

NorthShore University HealthSystem Glenbrook Hospital (Glenview, Ill.). The 2018 Practice Greenhealth Emerald Award-winning NorthShore University HealthSystem Glenbrook Hospital is making efforts to improve its sustainability, including through efforts to manage its water use and waste production. For example, the health system took an enterprise approach to cooling water, resulting in 1.2 million gallons saved during the summer of 2015. Notably in 2015-16, the hospital eliminated polystyrene containers.

Overlook Medical Center (Summit, N.J.). With 504 beds and 18 operating rooms, Overlook Medical Center made Practice Greenhealth's Top 25 Environmental Excellence list for the first time in 2018. Overlook installed a series of green initiatives including clinical plastic recycling, fluid management, device reprocessing, OR kit reformulation and several other energy-saving measures. The hospital cut its meat consumption by 62 percent and 39 percent of its meat was raised without the use of non-therapeutic antibiotics or growth hormones. Practice Greenhealth also awarded Overlook a Greening the OR recognition.

Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital (St. Louis Park, Minn.). Emphasizing efforts to combat excessive food waste, Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital has reduced 40 percent of its total waste since implementing a new program in 2016. Practice Greenhealth bestowed its coveted Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award on Park Nicollet in 2018. The LEED Silver-certified hospital also received a 2018 Practice Greenhealth Greening the OR recognition.

Parkland Health & Hospital System (Dallas). Touting LEED Gold certification since 2015, Parkland's environmental efforts are driven by its sustainability team. Parkland is reducing the energy and water needed for daily operations through its several initiatives. The in-house linen services department uses a water reclamation system, which amounted to saving about 1 million gallons of water monthly. The hospital also has solar panel and LED technology throughout its campus.

Reading (Pa.) Hospital - Tower Health. In October 2016, Reading Hospital opened the Reading HealthPlex for Advanced Surgical & Patient Care, constructed with the health system's environmental mission in mind. The 88,000-square-foot facility has a green roof to reduce the "heat island" effect of conventional asphalt rooftops as well as improve air quality. The facility is also designed to replace instrument sterilizers and washers with more efficient cleaning models; the health system estimated consuming around one-eighth to one-fifth of the water used before the upgrades.

Regions Hospital (St. Paul, Minn.). Regions Hospital aims to support environmental efforts by wise resource use and improved efficiencies. The hospital purchased hand soaps without triclosan and triclocarban, eliminated aerosol cans, and uses ultraviolet irradiation technology for surface disinfection and pest control to reduce chemical concerns. The hospital's supply chain services also found ways to become more environmentally friendly, identifying opportunities to use electronic vehicles for supply delivery. Their efforts have reduced driving gas vehicles by about100,000 miles per year, eliminating 44 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. Regions Hospital has earned several environmental awards and recognitions, including a spot on the Practice Greenhealth 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award Honorees.

Seattle Children's Hospital. In 2017, the 348-bed Seattle Children's Hospital set several environmental goals and achieved them with flying colors. The hospital tripled its initial stretch goal of irrigation water reduction, hitting a 14 percent reduction and lowering irrigation by around 1 million gallons last year. The hospital also aimed to decrease anesthetic gasses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and its anesthesia department lowered Desflurane use by 31 percent last year. The hospital also upped the pay incentive for employees to carpool, bike, walk or take public transit, providing a $4.50 daily pay incentive. Practice Greenhealth named Seattle Children's Hospital among the 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award Honorees.

Sibley Memorial Hospital (Washington, D.C.). In July, Sibley Memorial Hospital, part of Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine, earned LEED Gold designation for its new patient tower. The hospital also has LEED Gold certification for its radiation oncology facility and received the 2013 Environmental Excellence Award from the District of Columbia Hospital Association. The hospital engages in several environmentally friendly initiatives, including rain gardens, employee gardens and a gabion retaining wall. The hospital also maintains 12 beehives.

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital-Boston. Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital-Boston goes to great lengths to sustain environmental stewardship. The hospital supports healthy eating and living by purchasing as much local and sustainable food as possible to provide a balanced menu. The hospital sponsors an on-site farmer's market and has its own gardens for growing herbs and vegetables alongside the patient garden therapy program. The hospital has recycling and food waste compounding programs and champions the use of eco-friendly disposables. The hospital received LEED Gold certification in 2014 and earned the 2018 Practice Greenhealth Partner for Change Award.

Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital (Grand Rapids, Mich.). Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital's commitment to sustainability runs deep. The hospital saves around $75,000 per year by reprocessing materials, which reduces 5,000 pounds of waste. In 2012, the hospital eliminated 4,275 additional pounds of waste through a water-reduction program, which saved $35,000. That same year, it installed motion sensors and replaced operating room lights with LED lights that reduce energy consumption. Blodgett Hospital has LEED Silver certification and has been recognized several times by Practice Greenhealth over the years.

St. Cloud (Minn.) VA Health Care System. In 2018, St. Cloud VA Health Care System earned a spot among Practice Greenhealth's Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honorees for the third consecutive year. The health system has lean management in place and incorporates green practices into the everyday processes. The health system has recycling programs and initiatives for waste reduction, organic composting and green purchasing. It also focuses on paper conservation and installed LED lighting as well as renewable energy systems to support environmental stewardship. The health system is committed to making incremental changes now to improve efficiency and quality.

UCSF Medical Center/UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital (San Francisco). UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital have earned recognition for their environmentally friendly and sustainability efforts. The health system has taken particular aim at food sustainability and waste, and in 2015 set a goal to hit 20 percent sustainable food purchases by 2020. In October, the health system was honored at the 2018 EPA Green Power Leadership Awards based on its 2017 systemwide performance. UCSF has 88 on-site and five off-site sources that generate renewable energy, and it was able to increase total voluntary renewable energy production year over year by 43 percent in 2017. The health system aims to use 100 percent clean power by 2025.

University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center (Beachwood, Ohio). University Hospitals aimed to create an environmentally friendly and sustainable hospital when designing Ahuja Medical Center. The hospital has a healing garden as well as natural light to enhance artificial energy. The roof of the building is white to absorb less heat and reduce energy use, and the hospital has waste-minimization and recycling programs. The hospital also has a water-efficient plumbing system to reduce water use by 25 percent. Ahuja Medical Center is also committed to eliminating toxic materials and minimizing harsh cleaning agents.

University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore). The University of Maryland Medical Center has a "green team" that focuses on a variety of sustainability efforts for the hospital. In July 2009, UMMC began practicing waste separation and recycling to regulate medical waste; since then, the hospital has reduced its waste stream treated as regulated medical waste from 61 percent to just over its goal of10 percent. The health system also recycles 234,000 pounds of confidential paper annually and diverts around 232,000 pounds of plastic from the waste stream per year. The health system also focuses on greening the operating rooms with single-use medical device reprocessing, an expanded recycling program, reusable textiles, and donations of open and unused supplies to developing nations or medical and nursing schools for training.

Michigan Medicine (Ann Arbor). For the past 15 years, Michigan Medicine has earned honors for sustainability and environmental stewardship. This year, the health system earned the 2018 Partner for Change award from Practice Greenhealth. The health system emphasizes the "reduce, recycle and reuse" principles organizationwide and has been a member of Practice Greenhealth's Environmental Leadership Circle. The health system has environmental stewardship committees focused on building design, energy conservation, green purchasing, and recycling and waste management.

University of Vermont Medical Center (Burlington). The University of Vermont Medical Center is committed to waste reduction, and last year the hospital recycled 8 tons of blue wrap as part of an overall sustainability effort. UVM Medical Center also diverted more than 7 tons of single-use devices and developed a sustainability program to meet environmental goals. Also in 2017, the hospital developed a video about sustainable food systems with the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, and it is currently constructing a new 187,000-square-foot inpatient building that it hopes will achieve LEED Silver certification. Several of its building projects have already achieved LEED Gold certification. The hospital is a member of the Vermont Climate Pledge Coalition and earned a spot among the Practice Greenhealth 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honorees.

UW Medical Center (Seattle). The University of Washington Medical Center is a 529-bed facility with a history of environmentally friendly initiatives. It has an environmental stewardship policy statement that takes into consideration the impact of their actions on the environment and outlines goals. One key focus for the hospital is healthy food, with 33 percent of its food being locally sourced. The hospital lowered the price of wellness meals and has taken steps to provide health food to the community. Practice Greenhealth named UW Medical Center to its list of 2018 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honorees.

Virginia Mason Hospital & Medical Center (Seattle). Virginia Mason Medical Center committed to sustainability with the EnviroMason initiative to empower all team members to reduce the environmental impact of their daily work. The hospital's green team includes members from across the organization to identify waste and implement reduction efforts. Beginning in 2011, the hospital's energy conservation efforts have saved more than 4.5 million kilowatt hours per year, and water conservation efforts have saved around 7 million gallons of water annually since then. The hospital's food and nutrition department purchases nearly 40 percent locally or sustainably, and the hospital's recycling and composting efforts achieved a 48 percent rate. In 2015 and 2016, the hospital earned recognition as a Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award honoree by Practice Greenhealth.

Westfields Hospital & Clinic (New Richmond, Wis.). Westfields Hospital & Clinic has a green team that champions its sustainability and environmentally friendly initiatives. The hospital launched a weekly farmer's market on campus and developed a community garden. Its cafeteria also found ways to become more sustainable, switching to reusable to-go meal containers and using locally sourced food. Westfields Hospital & Clinic has a relationship with Urban Organics, an aquaponics farm that provides salad greens to the hospital, as well as a partnership with a local high school to teach students about the importance of environmental stewardship.

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital (Madison, Wis.). In 2005, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital adopted the Green Environmental Management System to govern its environmental policy and encourage team members at all organizational levels to become stewards of the environment. The policy aims to prevent pollution, reduce waste and conserve energy. The hospital has recycling efforts for several types of materials and practices green materials purchasing. The VA has highlighted the hospital's achievements and considers it an example of living out the health system's mission for environmental compliance.

Yale New Haven (Conn.) Hospital. Yale New Haven Hospital has a deep commitment to environmental sustainability. The hospital redesigned processes to eliminate hazardous materials use and lower the use of natural resources where possible. The hospital partners with farmers to sell locally produced food, and it promotes energy conservation in the operating room. Practice Greenhealth has recognized the hospital with two Circle of Excellence awards and the Emerald Partner for Change Award. VHA, a network of nonprofit healthcare organizations, has also honored Yale New Haven with its Sustainability Award.

 

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