“The healthcare sector is estimated to be responsible for about 5 to 6% of pollutant gas emissions. It is one of the industries contributing most to climate change, and thus, hospitals, health centers, and healthcare providers must adopt more sustainable practices,” said Xavier Barreto, President of the Portuguese Association of Hospital Administrators (APAH).
The Green Hospitals project aims at “transforming how hospitals operate.”
“Portuguese and Spanish hospitals are united in this major initiative,” added Xavier Barreto, noting that an initial assessment was conducted followed by the implementation of innovative technologies for greater sustainability.
The project’s total value stands at 2.5 million euros, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spain-Portugal Cross-Border Cooperation Program (POCTEP) 2021-2027.
The consortium includes Portuguese entities like APAH, local health units (ULS) of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Coimbra and Algarve, and the National Energy Agencies Network (RNAE), along with Spanish organizations such as the Energy Agency of Castilla and León (EREN) and the Health Agency of Galicia (SERGAS).
Partners are meeting on Thursday at ULSTMAD in Vila Real under the theme “Improvements in Hospital Sustainability for a Healthier Tomorrow” to review the project’s progress.
The goal is for hospitals to become more sustainable without compromising healthcare quality, focusing on energy efficiency through cogeneration plants or solar panels, window replacement, and improved facility insulation.
Strategies also include reducing water consumption and waste production, discussing the use of disposable materials, a common practice in hospitals contributing to environmental pollution.
Xavier Barreto mentioned some hospitals are replacing disposable gowns with washable uniforms, “always considering the risks of hospital-acquired infections.”
“There are numerous changes we can implement to produce less waste and, consequently, carefully manage waste sorting and treatment post-use,” he added.
ULSTMAD, headquartered at Vila Real hospital, also includes hospitals in Chaves and Lamego and 23 health centers.
The Board Chairman, Ivo Oliveira, highlighted the ULS’s commitment to energy efficiency, noting that the Green Hospitals project complements over five million euros in ongoing investments at the oncology center in Vila Real and Chaves hospital.
“This will lead to improvements, consumption reductions, greater efficiency, and financial and environmental savings over the years,” he emphasized.
Through the Iberian project, ULSTMAD invested about 300,000 euros in installing a water and air cooling unit and a monitoring network.
Xavier Barreto concluded that “hospitals are significant contributors to climate change but also endure its effects on people’s health.”
“This increases our responsibility to work towards being more efficient and environmentally sustainable,” he stressed.
