The Green Digest

A Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care Initiative

RETScreen is a Clean Energy Management Software system for energy efficiency, renewable energy and co generation project feasibility analysis as well as ongoing energy performance analysis. Learn more HERE .

May 7, 2020

THANK YOU to all our front line health care workers and everyone who is working so hard to ensure Canada's health system remains ready to deliver the best care possible during these very challenging times.

NEW INITIATIVES

Coalition to launch on-line Asset Sharing Marketplace

The COVID-19 pandemic has created deep concern about the capacity of the health care system to meet increasing demands for services, supplies and equipment. Optimizing the marketing and distribution of products has also become more difficult for suppliers.

Later this month, The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care will be launching an on-line platform, developed initially in The Netherlands, but now available world-wide, to create a Health Care Asset Sharing Marketplace for health care organisations and their suppliers. 

The platform will create a direct line of communication between buyers and sellers, reduce wasted capacity, improve the allocation of resources and lower costs for participants. The marketplace will be an easily accessible means for health care organisations to access available assets (i.e. PPE, equipment, supplies and staff) within their own organisations, with other organisations and with suppliers. Initially, the platform will be configured for COVID-19 supply chains, in particular. This will allow health care organisations and their suppliers who participate to not only advertise supply or demand in their own region but also nationally. 

The project is a practical means for the Coalition to advance a part of the circular economy in health care. For more information contact:  [email protected]

Call for Awards and Recognition Sponsors

The Annual Canadian Health Care Sustainability Awards are provided to health care organisations that participate in the Green Hospital Scorecard program, the only comprehensive health care benchmarking tool in Canada that enables health care organisations to compare their sustainability performance with their peers as well as track their own performance over time.

Over 100 health care organisations submit standardized data on ten areas of sustainability. Categories for this year’s awards include: 

Sustainability Champions

We know that private sector companies also play an important role in championing sustainability, since hospitals’ supply chains represent the largest component of their carbon footprint. If a company has made a corporate commitment to sustainability, we want to recognize them as a Sustainability Champion. CCGHC Sustainability Champions often sponsor our publications, educational events, case studies and sustainability programs.We are not able to promote one product over another, however, we can play a valuable role in communicating sustainable business practice among health care organisations and their suppliers. For more information contact:  [email protected]

Deadline

Green Hospital Scorecard Survey submission deadline - EXTENDED:  July 1, 2020

Coalition launches NEW intensive energy management " Energy Lite " online course

The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, IESO  and  TRANE Canada  are pleased to invite you to our newest health care energy management training initiative. 

Energy Lite  is an intensive two-day course consisting of 14 one-hour training modules presented via video conference.

Course content, developed specifically for Canada's health services sector, includes the most relevant topics of interest to today's proactive energy and building management professionals.

Look to Energy Lite for:

Delivery dates:  May 20-21, 2020

Cost:  $750 + taxes and fees

Facilitators: 

To learn more about module sponsorship opportunities, learning objectives and course curriculum, please contact [email protected] OR visit www.greenhealthcare.ca/energylite

REGISTER HERE

If you are experiencing barriers towards participation due to a lack of financing,  please contact us   to discuss possible sponsorship opportunities.

This initiative suitable for:

We encourage you to share your energy management success stories with us to incorporate into training modules.

Some registrants may be eligible for the CHES Ontario Educational Tuition Grant.  Click here  to learn more about eligibility and CHES Ontario.

The Circular Economy Imperative: How Philips is introducing new business models to benefit health care and the environment

DATE: Wednesday May 13th, 2020

TIME: 12:00 - 1:00 PM Eastern (9:00 AM Pacific)

COST: FREE

              

Growing demand for health care from an expanding population, overconsumption of resources, waste, pollution, climate change – all these factors are putting pressure on our ecosystems. 

On the upside, a number of global trends – e.g. the shift to value-based care, changing consumption patterns and the adoption of digital technology – are supporting the (essential) transition to a circular economy.

Learn the basics of “the circular economy” and how it impacts your health care organisation’s financial outlook, your ecological footprint and climate change resiliency.  

An alternative to the traditional linear economy where we manufacture, consume and dispose of products, the circular economy allows for the maximum extraction of value of an item before being systematically and carefully reinvented and/or regenerated at end of life.  

Join us to learn more about: 

This webinar is suitable for:   

Register  HERE

For additional information, contact  [email protected]

We wish to thank Philips Canada for their generous support of this collaborative learning initiative.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

JUST RELEASED - Fact Sheet #3

Workplace Charging Cost Considerations

There are multiple ways of offering charging stations at your health care workplace. They can be free for employees or employees can be charged a fee for using the stations. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, and this determination should be based on your goals and reasons for installing the chargers in the first place. Download the Fact Sheet #3 HERE.

To learn more about electric and zero-emission vehicles and how they can play a part in your health care organisation, visit the Coalition's ZEV resources page at www.greenhealthcare.ca/ZEV

COVID-19

In the interests of public safety, please follow health agency guidelines to help keep us all healthy. For more information and prevention tips, visit the Government of Canada's COVID-19 site HERE .

FEEDBACK REQUESTED: Safer disinfectants in health care

As part of a project on  safer disinfectants in healthcare (SAICM 2.0)  HCWH Europe has released an  interim project report  containing the results of the survey and hazard analysis, case studies and product benchmarking as well as draft recommendations. This interim report will remain available online for public consultation until 17 May. HCWH would like to hear your views and learn more about your experience with procuring disinfectants and they invite you to write your comments in  this document  (please, leave your name so they may follow up with you if required). More HERE .

Guelph scientist's device approved to sanitize N95 masks

The University of Guelph says a device meant to decontaminate fresh produce is now being used to sanitize N95 masks for health-care workers during the coronavirus pandemic. The technology, developed by U of G food scientist Keith Warriner, recently received approval from Health Canada. The process is waterless and combines ultraviolet light, hydrogen peroxide and ozone to make compounds that kill pathogens. Each device can sanitize N95 masks in 30 seconds and can handle 800 masks an hour, according to the university.

“It’s a game-changer,” Warriner said. “It combines the benefits of using hydrogen peroxide vapour and UV while overcoming the limitation of applying either alone.” More HERE.

University of Alberta works with AHS to make 3D-printed face shields

Faculty and staff at the  University of Alberta  have started making 3D-printed face shields in hopes of helping facilities keep up stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) through the  COVID-19  pandemic. The group behind the project is made up of clinicians, engineers and designers working alongside Alberta Health Services to make 2,000 face shields that are reusable and safe. The U of A said they have received Health Canada’s approval to manufacture the shields. More HERE .

U.N. Secretary-General says climate change devastation will be 'many times greater' than Coronavirus pandemic

The U.N. is looking to keep nations focused on efforts to fight the effects of climate change, with Secretary-General António Guterres urging governments to capitalize on their coronavirus pandemic rebuilding efforts by doing more to help the environment.

The U.N. leader said the devastation being caused by the virus should remind world leaders that such consequences will be far worse if they "retreat" on efforts to address climate change. In recent months, the U.N. conducted a survey of 40,000 people in 186 countries as part of an initiative marking the organization's 75th anniversary. The survey found that "climate" and "environment" topped the list of concerns that respondents believe will most affect humanity's future, followed by "conflicts" and "health risks." More HERE .

Engineering design company Enginuity chairs Nova Scotia initiative to solve COVID-19 health care challenges

Enginuity, a Nova Scotia engineering design group is coordinating a provincial consortium of health, academic, technology, and business leaders that includes the Nova Scotia Health Authority, IWK Health Centre, ACOA, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia Business Inc., BioNova, and IgniteLabs and well as over 25 local companies to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. “We’ve pivoted some of our multi-disciplinary team of engineers, designers, technologists, researchers, and strategists to respond to the challenge of COVID-19, providing local manufacturing solutions to global supply chain issues,” says CEO Ben Garvey. More HERE .

Five ways to minimize infection risks in a health care facility

Facility preparation and clear communication are critical in a health emergency. This is particularly true at a health care facility. They must grapple with a variety of challenges when it comes to infectious diseases. These challenges can be solved with a combination of comprehensive and automated visitor management policies along with the ability to track and trace movements and interactions throughout the facility. Click HERE to learn about five essential best practices that health care institutions are following to help reduce the impact from an outbreak of an infectious disease.

Canada's first disinfection robot being tested

Researchers in Montreal are testing Canada's first disinfection robot to help kill harmful viruses and bacteria found on surfaces in hospitals using a type of ultraviolet light. While the idea of using ultraviolet light to disinfect hands, clothing or other household objects  is either incorrect or dangerous , researchers say UV-C light is extremely effective when it comes to killing microorganisms, including coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19. The  Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre  said in a press release that the use of an automated system to kill harmful bacteria in hospitals could "potentially improve patient safety, as well as protect hospital personnel." More HERE .

WASTE MANAGEMENT

New report provides the first comprehensive roadmap to solving the problem of plastic pollution in Canada

The new report provides the first overarching blueprint for Canada’s federal, provincial, and municipal governments on how they can reduce plastic pollution. The report,  No Time to Waste: Six Ways Canada Can Progress to Zero Plastic Waste by 2025 , released by Environmental Defence, outlines six immediate steps that governments can take to drastically decrease waste caused by single-use plastics.

“Single-use plastics continue to be a massive contributor to the world’s plastic pollution crisis,” said Vito Buonsante, Plastics Program Manager with Environmental Defence. “Canada can be a world leader in turning the tide on this problem, but it’s not simply a matter of better recycling or banning certain plastic items. We need a comprehensive reduction strategy to make plastic waste a thing of the past.” More HERE .

Canadian company receives approval for new Desflurane drug

Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd. announces receipt of a Drug Identification Number (DIN) for DESFLURANE, USP, an important drug used for general anesthesia. The DIN permits Blue-Zone to produce and commercially launch its branded generic drug. Health Canada’s approval supports a new era in stability of domestic supply of anesthetic gases and will provide important long-term cost reductions for hospitals. More HERE . 

Energy Management

New ENERGY STAR specifications for refrigerated beverage vending machines

EPA has announced that   Version 4.0 of the ENERGY STAR Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine product specification   will become effective on April 29, 2020. Only products certified to Version 4.0 and submitted by EPA-recognized certification bodies (CBs) to EPA will display on the list of certified models.

Vending machine products certifying for ENERGY STAR under the Version 4.0 specification will use, on average, approximately 9% less energy than standard vending machine products. More information can be found at the   vending machines product development web page .

RETScreen responds to COVID-19

Because of sudden COVID-19 events, many professionals and students are now required to work from home. We have received numerous requests for self-study material on the RETScreen Clean Energy Management Software. The best place to start is our free eLearning channel on YouTube. The channel is set up for users to view videos top to bottom, left to right. Click HERE to access the channel.

This channel has over 65 videos and cover all aspects of RETScreen Expert, including the benchmark, feasibility, performance and portfolio analysis modules. There are step-by-step videos for energy efficiency, clean power and cogeneration feasibility analysis. We have recently added new step-by-step videos for the performance analysis module, including measurement and verification (M&V). There is also a section dedicated to videos prepared in collaboration with our large global user community; these videos cover topics such as M&V, the healthcare sector, municipalities and user tips & tricks.

Our eLearning videos will not only help you develop skills in using RETScreen but also broaden and deepen your knowledge of energy management and clean energy. Access to the videos is completely free. All videos are available in French, and a selection of videos are also available in Spanish and Chinese. In these unprecedented times, RETScreen Customer Support remains fully available through  LinkedIn  or by  e-mail .

Visit the Coalition's web portal at www.greenhealthcare.ca/RETScreen

Sustainable Facilities

Canada’s Zero Carbon Standard Requires Embodied Carbon Offsets 

Measuring embodied carbon is no longer enough: certified projects now must purchase offsets for embodied carbon and refrigerant leaks. The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) was the  first to launch  a national standard for carbon neutrality in buildings. Now version 2 has been released with changes that include multiple compliance paths for energy efficiency, a requirement to offset fugitive refrigerant emissions and  embodied carbon , and a higher bar for carbon offsets. The standard still does not require projects to account for carbon emitted by occupants transportation to and from the building. Read Candace Pearson's full article HERE .

Retrofitting Hospital Workers Co-operative: A TowerWise Case Study

From 2014-2018, retrofits were undertaken at Hospital Workers Co-operative to improve the energy efficiency of the building. This case study describes the energy efficiency retrofits that achieved major reductions in utility costs and carbon emissions for this 132-apartment building.

The retrofit demonstrated retrofits can provide a compelling return on investment while reducing environmental impacts and generating green jobs. Some key results include:

Download case study HERE.

CALL for Submissions

Canadian Healthcare Facilities - Summer/Numéro d’ete 

Deadline for Submissions: Friday June 5, 2020  

The Summer issue of CHES's Journal, Canadian Healthcare Facilities (CHF), will once again highlight CHES member success stories related to the theme of the 2020 CHES National Conference: Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment. In addition, with the global COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak spreading nationwide, we are looking to include stories from CHES members about what their teams and facilities have done and continue to do to prepare for the surge of sick patients and protect existing patient populations.

If you are interested in sharing a story, you are encouraged to contact the Journal's editor, Clare Tattersall, at  [email protected]  with the proposed topic and a brief description (2-3 sentences) of the focus.

APPEL à comunications

Canadian Healthcare Facilities - Numéro d’ete

Date limite pour les soumissions : vendredi 5 juin 2020

L’édition estivale de la revue de la SCISS, Canadian Health Facilities (CHF), soulignera une fois de plus les succès des membres de la SCISS relatifs au thème du Congrès national 2020 de la SCISS : Optimiser l’environnement pour améliorer l’expérience-patient. Dans le cadre de la pandémie mondiale de la COVID-19 et de sa flambée sur l’ensemble du pays, nous souhaitons également inclure des récits de membres de la SCISS concernant les actions entreprises par leurs équipes et leurs établissements et mises en œuvre de manière suivie pour se préparer à l’afflux de personnes malades et protéger les populations existantes de patients. 

Si partager une anecdote vous intéresse, nous vous encourageons à contacter le rédacteur en chef de la revue, Clare Tattersall, à  [email protected] , pour préciser le thème proposé et décrire brièvement son idée-force en deux ou trois phrases.

Climate Change

Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals

This collaborative toolkit consists of eight modules designed for health professionals and students in the health care and public health sectors who want to engage more directly on the issue of climate change as educators with their patients, peers and communities, and/or as advocates for the policies, programs and practices needed to mitigate climate change and/or prepare for climate change in their workplaces and communities.

Module 6 focuses on taking action on climate change at health facilities. View and download all modules HERE.

Make big polluters pay for tree planting

The planting of 100m trees a year in the UK to tackle the climate emergency could be paid for by new carbon levies on oil companies and airlines, the government’s official climate adviser has proposed. The Committee on Climate Change also recommends banning the burning of grouse moors and the sale of peat compost to protect the nation’s bogs, which can store huge amounts of carbon.  Voluntary measures have failed , it said. More HERE .

Climate Change Resources

The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care has the resources you need to help your facility take action on climate change. Learn more HERE .

GHS Deadline Extension...

The spread of COVID-19 has accelerated to the level of a national emergency and we know you as health care workers are doing your best to battle against the virus for the sake of us all. THANK YOU for everything you are doing!

In an effort to try and relieve some of the pressure on your time, we are extending the deadline  for the current Green Hospital Scorecard (GHS) program survey until July 1, 2020. 

  Have you started your submission yet? 

Click here   to access this year's survey, which collects information for 2018 (January – December). If your organisation has multiple sites, a separate survey is required for each site. Please coordinate with your in-house team to ensure only one survey per hospital site is submitted.

 

After opening and saving the survey, you will be emailed a unique link that will allow you to resume and edit your survey. Hospitals with multiple sites should open a new blank survey for every site by   re-clicking HERE . 

 

Educational Webinar

The Coalition hosted an educational webinar to review the GHS survey and answered questions on how to submit your data. This webinar reviewing various sections and GHS updates can be viewed   HERE . 

  

Deadline

Submission deadline - EXTENDED:  July 1, 2020 . 

Participation in the Green Hospital Scorecard is FREE. To help cover program delivery costs we encourage all participants to become members of the Coalition. For membership details, contact Dan at   [email protected] .

The Coalition looks forward to sharing results from this year's GHS survey and we hope you are staying safe and supported during these times.

A BIG thank you to www.SaveOnEnergy.ca for their continued financial support for the Ontario Green Health Care Award and the Ontario Energy Behaviour Award

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the following events have been CANCELLED/POSTPONED

Canada Public Health Association's Public Health 2020 - will reschedule Autumn 2020

CleanMed 2020 (May 12-14, 2020) - Cancelled

CHES Ontario Conference (May 31 - June 2, 2020 Windsor) - Cancelled

CHES National Conference (September 20-22, 2020 Halifax) - Cancelled

RETScreen Expert ONLINE workshop: Project analysis 101 for the public sector

This one-day RETScreen workshop is geared towards all staff who want to build a business case and analyze the effectiveness of their energy conservation projects - applicable to anyone working in or with public sector organisations in Ontario. Learn the principles, concepts and functions of RETScreen Expert software.

WHEN: June 1, 2020

TIME: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Price: $240.00 + HST

Learn how you can get a sponsored one-year RETScreen Expert subscription ($869 value)

Due to the online nature of this training, space is limited to 20 participants. Additional workshops can be added depending on interest.

REGISTER HERE

CHES Ontario Conference

CANCELLED

Engineering Sustainable Healthcare Facilities

May31-June2, 2020

Caesars Windsor

CHES 2020 National Conference

CANCELLED

Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment

September 20-22, 2020

Halifax Convention Centre - Halifax, NS

CHES 2020 Webinar Series

Online Registration is open for the 2020 Webinar Series.  

Wednesday May 20, 2020 - An Overview of Smoke / Fire Doors and the 2015 NBC 

Speaker:  Ben Coles, M.Sc.E., MBA, P. Eng., PE

Wednesday June 17, 2020 - Optimizing Design with Virtual and Mixed Reality (AR/VR)

Speaker:  Daniel Doherty, BTech, C.E.T., CM BIM

Wednesday October 21, 2020 - CSA Z317.13-17 Role of the Multi-Disciplinary Team - Pros and Cons

Speaker:  Wayne Stokes, CET arch, FMA, RPA

Wednesday November 18, 2020 - Awareness / Update on Med Gas Qualified Operators

Speaker: Roger Holliss

Visit the website for more details as they become available or to register!    

Organ Donation - The Ultimate Recycling

Have you registered as an organ donor?

 Contact your local organ donation agency and speak to your family about your wishes. You have the power to save and transform lives. Or visit the Government of Canada website to register and donate.

Click HERE to learn how RETScreen Expert software can help your organisation quickly analyze cost savings, feasibility and emissions reductions.



If you have inspirational greening stories or photos to share with Green Digest readers, please send them to Kent at [email protected]

The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care is Canada’s premier green health care resource network, leading the evolution of green in Canada’s health sector as a national voice and catalyst for environmental change. www.greenhealthcare.ca  

Some articles referred to in the Digest make reference to services and/or product offerings from specific suppliers. The CCGHC recommends that readers research the service and product offerings available through a wider range of suppliers for comparison purposes and in keeping with public sector purchasing guidelines. These articles should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any product or service.