The Green Digest
A Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care Initiative
|
|
|
The Green Digest gratefully acknowledges project
support from ENERGY STAR
® Canada.
|
|
Climate Strike Memories
Between September 20-17, 2019, 7.6 million people took to the streets to strike for climate action - the largest climate mobilization in history according to the folks at
globalclimatestrike.net.
Many Coalition supporters lent support to some of the 6,135 actions held across the globe. Way to go everyone for doing your part!
The rally, according to Dr. Curtis Lavoie,
who attended in Ottawa "Was about bringing people together who understand the gravity of the problem of climate change, and who are willing to walk the talk. Just seeing each other, smiling and fist bumping, and hugging each other made me feel so much less alone on this difficult path. Thank you. It was not about convincing politicians, at least not yet. It was more about a simple message that not all of us have been hoodwinked on the issue of climate change, we see the disaster you are sewing and will do whatever it takes."
|
|
Peter Whiteman Accepts Hans Bergers Award
The 2019 Hans Burgers Award for Outstanding Contribution to Healthcare Engineering, was awarded to Saskatchewan's Peter Whiteman. Peter is a past-president of CHES National (2013-2015) and has been a supporter of Coalition initiatives for over a decade including as a participant in the Coalition's National Energy Advisory Committee. The Hans Burgers award is presented to a resident of Canada as a mark of recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of health care engineering. (l. to r.) Peter Whiteman, MaryJean Whiteman and CHES Past President Preston Kostura.
|
|
Interior Health Takes Wayne McLellan Award
Congratulations to Interior Health (BC), 2019 recipient of the Wayne McLellan Award of Excellence in Healthcare Facilities Management. Sponsored by Honeywell, the CHES award recognizes facilities that have had outstanding success in the completion of a major capital project, an energy efficiency program, an environmental stewardship program, or in a team building exercise. Accepting the award at last week's CHES National conference were (l. to r.) Steve McEwan, Trevor Fourmeaux, Ryan Galloway, and Norbert Fischer, honoured for their very successful bio mass boiler projects in Lillooet and Golden.
|
|
President's Award goes to Maritime Chapter
The Maritime Chapter of the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society (CHES) recently won the 2019 CHES President’s Award for their commitment to education, administration, and representation in the activities of the Chapter and the National Board. Accepting in Saskatoon on behalf of the Chapter, is (l. to r.): Gordon Jackson, Treasurer and Membership; Robert Barss, Executive Vice Chair, Past Chair & Professional Development; Andrew Bradley, Vice Chair NB & Partnership and Advocacy; Helen Comeau, Chair; Ken Morriscey, Vice Chair NS; Mark McNeil, Secretary & Communications; Kate Butler, Ad-hoc Member and National Treasurer.
|
|
Roger Hollis new CHES President
Roger Holliss, (left) Director of Engineering & Biomedical Services at St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener was installed this week as the new President of the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society (CHES) at their national c
onference and trade show in Saskatoon, SK. Roger takes over from Preston Kostura, (Director, Rural North - Central Zone Facilities Maintenance and Engineering- Alberta Health Services). The Coalition extends a warm welcome to President Holliss and a big thank you to President Kostura for his support of Coalition initiatives to green Canada's health services sector. Get the inside scoop on the benefits of CHES membership
HERE
.
|
|
Energy Efficiency Primed for Climate Action
There’s nothing exclusive about the Three Percent Club launched earlier this week at the United Nations
Climate Action Summit in New York. The new global
coalition of nations, businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is welcoming all joiners to harvest the energy savings achievable through the deployment of existing technology and passive design considerations.
Based on research from the International Energy Agency (
IEA), club pledges will be challenged to deliver a three per cent annual increase in energy efficiency. On a global scale, that’s projected to be a low-cost curb on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that could meet 40 per cent of the reduction target envisioned in the
Paris Agreement. Read the full article by Barb Carss
HERE.
|
|
INVITATION to: Inter-Hospital Waste Reduction Competition
Find out how green your hospital is in a friendly inter-hospital waste reduction competition that also celebrates Canada's Waste Reduction Week. Waste Reduction Week is a national campaign that builds awareness and promotes actions around responsible product/service consumption and disposal practices that divert more waste from landfill to conserve natural resources.
The inter-hospital competition challenges staff to take a one-minute survey, which outlines the ways they can reduce, reuse, recycle and compost everyday items. The hospital with the highest response rate wins the soon-to-be-famous WRW Trophy Mug. The competition runs October 21 through November 3. Show your support by reaching out to Elisabeth BEFORE October 11 at:
elisabeth.perlikowski@sickkids.ca
|
|
Landmark Case Study in Energy Released by Tools of Change Network
Energy Connect shows that energy savings and occupant comfort can be achieved quickly and persistently in large, complex facilities when building operators and mechanics are empowered to solve building performance issues. Five interventions were tested across six diverse health care facilities at the second largest health network in North America. Verified first year results show annual energy savings at three facilities from 3% to 12.5% attributable to
Energy Connect, and all pilot facilities saved energy. The Coalition is pleased to share news of this highly successful energy initiative by long-time Coalition supporter Kady Cowan who used behaviour-based science to improve energy savings in six North Carolina (Atrium Health) sites. Read more
HERE. Learn about Tools of Change
HERE.
|
|
First Zero Carbon Building in Canada
The 'Evolve1' project in Waterloo, ON has been awarded the
2019 SABMag Canadian Green Building Award (Commercial/Industrial [Large]) with the jury noting that, "Producing more energy than it consumes on an annual basis, doing so with zero-carbon footprint and within the economic constraints of the local market, this commercial building sets an important precedent for the Canadian commercial real estate industry."
The goal of the project was to inspire development of regenerative buildings by producing an economically-viable prototype that works within the real market. The building is targeting LEED platinum certification and has been certified by the Canada Green Building Council as the first Zero Carbon Building in Canada. For more on the project, visit
SABMag or the architects
Stantec.
Photo by Jesse Milns, courtesy of Stantec.
|
Climate Change Resources at your Fingertips
Thanks to funding from the
Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Coalition is able to offer a growing list of climate change resiliency resources to help you and your organisation prepare for the impacts of climate change. Visit our Mentoring Project home page
HERE to access hundreds of case studies, presentations, infographics, and government and non-government publications.
|
Join the Coalition's Q&A ListServ
For years, the Coalition has offered an online Question and Answer ListServ giving you access to some of the most engaged green health care stewards in Canada. Have a question about greening your health care organisation? Email
kent@greenhealthcare.ca to be added or to share a question.
|
|
Do you tweet? We do.
Please join us in the wonderful world of Twitter as we share the latest in Coalition news and initiatives. Find us at
@CCGHC
|
|
Waste Reduction Week
October 21-27, 2019
Waste Reduction Week in Canada is a year-round program, focused solely on the principles of circular economy, resource efficiency, and waste reduction.
The program’s primary purpose is to celebrate our environmental efforts and achievements while encouraging new innovative ideas and solutions.
The celebratory nature of the campaign is how its motivates learning and behaviour change. The program’s educational resources and “take action” messaging empower all Canadians to adopt more environmentally-conscious choices. Waste Reduction Week in Canada further provides information and ideas to reduce waste in all facets of daily living, creating the solutions to the many environmental challenges we face including climate change, water pollution and preservation of natural resources.
How will you celebrate? Learn more
HERE.
|
|
National Healthcare Facilities and Engineering Week - October 20-26, 2019
#NHFEW is just 4 weeks away!
Start planning now
Recognize yourself, your department and your staff during Healthcare Facilities and Engineering Week. Make sure everybody knows the vital role played by CHES members in maintaining a safe, secure and functioning environment for your institution.
Celebraton Ideas:
• Hold an “Open House” and invite your institution’s employees to tour the facilities.
• Serve cake or local food treats.
• Hang a banner in your institution
• Recognize the staff members in your department though advertising their successes. Use internal websites and or Social media (Don’t forget to use #NHFEW)
• Hold weekly or daily draws or contests with prizes for the winners (possibly some suppliers will assist)
|
|
Livable Cities Forum - Building Better Communities Through Resilience
October 28-30, 2019
The Livable Cities Forum is less than 2 months away, and we are thrilled to share some of our speakers with you.
The program brings together a diverse group of panellists, workshop hosts, and speakers from across North America who will share stories, innovative ideas, and lessons learned on the conference themes and engage in thoughtful, valuable dialogue with delegates. Practitioners and experts include:
- Dr. Courtney Howard, CAPE
- Dr. Ann Dale, Royal Roads University
- Mary Rowe, Canadian Urban Institute
Join leading organisations in resilience and learn from first-hand accounts of resilience actions. Learn more
HERE.
|
|
Invitation to Participate in the International Award 2020 Climate Change and Sustainability of Healthcare System
The effects of Climate Change on human health and wellbeing are increasingly gaining universal recognition. The growing importance of the healthcare system role and its potential especially contributes to Community Preparation for the prevention and reduction of risks related to climate change effects (adaptation to climate change) as well as reducing the negative effects of inevitable climate-related disasters (risk reductions). It is vital to continue to raise awareness of this issue both internally to the health community as well as the external community at all levels and its governing structures. To this end, IFHE and SIAIS have decided to create a specific International Award 2020 “Climate Change and Sustainability of the Healthcare System.” Details
HERE
.
|
|
RENDEZ-VOUS Sustainable Healthcare Focus on Climate Change
Save the Date - October 15, 2019
Join guest speakers from Sweden, France, Canada and the USA as they share ideas and expertise on climate change and sustainable healthcare.
Panels, conferences, discussions, networking...
Please complete the preregistration form
HERE
to show your support.
|
|
NERC's Webinar Series Continues With Packaging - October 24, 2019
The Canadian Packaging EPR webinar will detail Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia's packaging EPR programs. Webinar presenters include: Mathieu Guillemette, Senior Director of Services to Municipalities, Eco Enterprises Quebec; Joanne St. Goddard, Executive Director of the Recycling Council of Ontario; and David Lefebvre, Director of Public Affairs, Recycle BC.
|
|
The Green Digest was brought to you by ENERGY STAR
®
Canada.
|
|
If you have inspirational greening stories or photos to share with Green Digest readers, please send them to Kent at
kent@greenhealthcare.ca
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
