The Green Digest
A Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care Initiative
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December 3, 2020
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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
CANADIAN COALITION FOR GREEN HEALTH CARE
For up-to-date Coalition news and resources, visit https://greenhealthcare.ca
The Coalition and UHN win again!
We are pleased to announce that we have been named a 2020 Climate Champion by Health Care Without Harm!

As a participant in the Health Care Climate Challenge, we are committed to reducing health care’s own carbon footprint, preparing for the impacts of extreme weather and the shifting burden of disease and educating staff and the public while promoting policies to protect public health from climate change. This year we received recognition for the efforts and success of our institution and staff with the Gold - Climate Leadership award.

We would also like to congratulate our friends at University Health Network for their amazing triple-award win!
  • Silver – Renewable Energy
  • Gold – Climate Resilience
  • Gold – Climate Leadership

Click HERE to see the full list of global winners.
Green Hospital Scorecard (GHS) Awards webinars
We are hosting two webinars starting next week, to announce the GHS winners. Don't forget to register!

  1. Energy Behaviour and Energy Awards webinar: Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 12:00PM EST. Click HERE to register.
  2. Green Hospital of The Year and top performers Awards webinar: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 12:00PM EST. Click HERE to register.
We are launching Health-Share!
We are excited to announce Health-Share, a joint sharing initiative of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care (CCGHC) and FLOOW2 Healthcare in response to the COVID-19 crisis which has revealed urgent need for a national online platform to match resource supply and demand in Canada's Health sector.
Health-Share is the Sharing Marketplace for Canadian Health Care. The platform enables health care organizations, hospitals and health-related businesses to efficiently match supply of and demand for medical devices, materials, excess stock, personnel and facilities. The platform facilitates transparency and efficient matchmaking, bringing resilience and flexibility to the sector. Swap, sell, rent out or give away: have access to anything, anywhere, anytime.

Click HERE to visit Health-Share and sign up now!
We are hiring!
We are looking to hire a Digital Marketing Coordinator to work as part of our online social enterprise. Working with our Executive Director and Manager of Digital Marketing and Online Programs, the Digital Marketing Coordinator will to expand the Coalition’s online Marketplace to smaller communities in Nova Scotia, then across Canada.

This posting is intended for those who are not in employment, education or training and/or identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, LGBTQ2S+, newcomers to Canada, francophone, and/or live with disability.

The following requirements must me met:
  • Between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at start of placement 
  • A Canadian citizen or permanent resident or a protected person as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 
  • Legally entitled to work in Canada 
  • Legally entitled to work according to Nova Scotia legislation and regulations

Click HERE to view the full posting.
Project Green Healthcare/Projet Vert la Santé
In September 2020, Neil Ritchie, Executive Director of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care was the keynote presenter for the Canadian Federation of Medical Student's (CFMS) conference on Planetary Action. This conference was the precursor for the launch of their newest initiative Project Green Healthcare/Projet Vert la Santé. Student teams are partnering with their local hospital systems to perform green quality improvement projects. As mentors for the initiative we are thrilled at the opportunity to share the projects of the first cohort!

Click HERE to learn more about the projects.
Did you know that you could be recognized as a Sustainability Champion?
The Coalition recognizes industry partners for their exemplary commitment to sustainability. Being a Sustainability Champion has its unique benefits and can help your company stand out by showcasing your commitment to supporting a sustainable Canadian health services system.

If you are interested in learning more and potentially being recognized as a Sustainability Champion, we would love to have a chat!

Reach out to our Executive Director, Neil Ritchie at neil.ritchie@greenhealthcare.ca.

Click HERE to learn more.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Where are Canada's Energy Managers?
The Coalition team wants to know more about the growing number of energy managers in Canada's health sector with an eye to providing access to enhanced energy management software.

If you are an energy manager in a Canadian hospital or health care organisation, or if your organisation has an energy manager, our project manager would love to hear from you. Please email kent@greenhealthcare.ca to learn more. Thank you.
Global Adjustment changes coming to Ontario in January
As detailed in the 2020 Ontario Budget, next year, the Province will reduce Global Adjustment (GA) costs by moving the renewable portion of GA to the general tax base. Starting on January 1, 2021, approximately 85% of wind, solar and bioenergy contracts will be funded by the Province. Removing these costs from electricity bills will result in medium-size and larger industrial and commercial organizations saving approximately 14-16% respectively, on average, on their electricity bills.
 
What does this mean for you?

Generally, electricity rates will be lower across the board. Specifically, for:
  • Class A Customers: There will be no impact to electrical consumption costs (kWh), but slightly less incentive to reduce peaks. While the program provides some relief from peak electricity costs, the remaining GA charges are still growing. Class A customers should still watch vigilantly for electricity price increases over time.
  • Class B Customers: Electricity will be slightly more competitive relative to natural gas. The change will reduce the kWh charge by approximately 15%. The changes are encouraging for users preparing to install electrified heating sources, like air-source heat pumps or geothermal installations.

More HERE.
ASHRAE unveils energy performance role model
ASHRAE’s new global headquarters is a 20th century building remade to deliver high-level 21st century energy performance. The 110-member staff has spent the past month settling into the newly renovated and retrofitted 42-year-old office building, intended to physically embody the global society’s mandate to advance human well-being through sustainable technology in the built environment. The extensive overhaul to transform the three-storey, 66,700-square-foot structure into a net-zero energy building commenced in January 2020. It reflects a deliberate decision of ASHRAE’s executive and broader membership to create a tangible example of what can be achieved in existing buildings, particularly those that date back to the era of low energy costs.

More HERE.
SUSTAINABLE HEALTH
New research on health care sustainability now available
  1. Potential for industrial ecology to support healthcare sustainability - Scoping review of a fragmented literature and conceptual framework for future research. Click HERE to learn more.
  2. The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare. Click HERE to learn more.
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.
SAFER CHEMICALS
Promoting safer disinfectants in the healthcare sector
HCWH Europe has released a new report Promoting safer disinfectants in the healthcare sector presenting the final results of HCWH Europe’s SAICM 2.0 project, a two-year pilot project that aims to reduce the unintended hazards of disinfectants used in health care, without compromising on hygienic and occupational health standards. This project builds on the successful experience of the WIDES database that was developed by the Vienna City Administration to directly address the difficulties in choosing appropriate disinfectants, whilst considering wider health and environmental impacts.

More HERE.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Ottawa holds contest to hear your ideas on how to tackle food waste
Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal minister of agriculture and agri-food, recently announced a national competition for projects to reduce the country’s food waste. The program, a first step of a national food waste reduction plan, will fund novel projects to reduce waste throughout the supply chain. The contest is open to everyone, from businesses to governments to individuals. Proposals to the contest will go through several rounds of evaluation, with two finalists awarded $1.5 million each to implement their plan. Efforts to reduce, divert and repurpose wasted food so it remains on the market would be well-suited, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada explained in a statement. 

More HERE.
Manufacturing bricks from discarded pandemic PPE: A unique waste management solution
As coronavirus cases spread around the world earlier this year, Binish Desai found himself increasingly nervous. It wasn't only the pandemic that worried him, but the waste it was generating. Masks and protective gear were being used a single time and then discarded by the tons, eventually destined for landfills or bodies of water. "I have eco-anxiety," said Desai, a 27-year-old environmental activist and innovator in western India. When he sees waste, he said, he automatically begins thinking about ways to use it. By September, he had come up with a solution: Take the used protective gear and mold it into bricks for buildings. He already has made more than 40,000 such bricks for projects including homes and factories, and is gearing up to produce 15,000 a day.

More HERE.
COVID-19
COVID-19 decontamination: How to harness UV-C light to disinfect facilities
Difficult challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have been the order of the day in 2020. However, current circumstances are spurring the innovation of therapies and techniques that are changing global approaches to many fields, including the decontamination of the built environment. As is often the case with transformative technologies, building blocks that have been available for decades are being assembled in inventive ways to create tools uniquely suited to fight the spread of the coronavirus. 

More HERE.
COVID-19 resources for EVS professionals 2020
AHE's continually updated COVID-19 resource page is filled with guidance, education and tools to assist EVS leaders in reducing the spread of infection.

More HERE.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
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Quebec to ban sale of new gas vehicles by 2035
Quebec is taking pole position in Canada to drive the transition towards electric vehicle adoption, with the province’s Minister of Environment, Benoit Charette, announcing today new light internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles will not be sold in the province as of 2035. La Presse was the first outlet to report the details of Quebec’s new plan.

More HERE.
New high-speed Level 2 charger targeted at growing electric fleet market
As battery technology and the variety of vehicles being electrified increases, so too do the charging demands and expectation of drivers and fleet managers. Charging network operator FLO recently unveiled a new product that it says will help fill one emerging niche — a low-cost, higher-speed Level 2 charger for private light- and medium-duty fleet vehicles such as pick-up trucks and small service trucks.

More HERE.
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
CHES - 2021 Webinar Series
12pm - 1pm EST

Wednesday January 27, 2021 - Update to CSA Z317.2 (HVAC)
Speakers:  Gordon Burrill, P.Eng., CCHFM, FASHE, CHFM, CHC; Nick Stark, P.Eng., CED, LEED AP, ICD.D 

Wednesday February 24, 2021 - Refrigeration Retrofits to low GWP Refrigerants & How the Choices effect Capacity and Operation
Speaker: Jeff French; Steve McTaggart

Wednesday March 24, 2021 - Building Science 101: Understanding Building Air Leakage and the effects on Your Building Envelope
Speakers: Steven Tratt

Wednesday April 21, 2021- Understanding and Preventing Floor Covering Failure
Speaker:  Chris Maskell

Wednesday May 12, 2021 - Infection Prevention Through Design & Innovation
Speaker:  Vicky Diab, BA

Wednesday June 16, 2021 - Operating Rooms - Isolated Power Systems and Class A GFCIs in Operating Rooms
Speaker:  Amir Mojtahed, B.Eng., M. Eng.; Sonny Solanki, B.Eng.

Wednesday September 22, 2021 - Resilient Building Design for Hospitals in the Face of Climate Change
Speaker:  Gord Rajewski, R.E.T.

Wednesday November 17, 2021 - Roof Maintenance
Speaker: Ted Katsoris, B.Tech, BSS, CCCA
SCISS – Webinaires 2021
12pm - 1pm EST

Mercredi 27 janvier 2021 – Actualisation de la norme CSA Z317.2 (CVCA)
Orateurs:  Gordon Burrill, P.Eng., CCHFM, FASHE, CHFM, CHC; Nick Stark, P.Eng., CED, LEED AP, ICD.D 

Mercredi 24 février 2021 – Modernisation de la réfrigération grâce aux réfrigérants à faible PRP - Manière dont les choix affectent la capacité et le fonctionnement
Orateur: Jeff French; Steve McTaggart

Mercredi 24 mars 2021 – Science du bâtiment 101 : Comprendre les fuites d’air d’un bâtiment et leurs effets sur son enveloppe
Orateurs:  Steven Tratt

Mercredi 21 avril 2021 – Comprendre et prévenir l’inefficacité des revêtements de sol
Orateur:  Chris Maskell

Mercredi 12 mai 2021 – Prévention des infections fondée sur la conception et l’innovation
Orateur:  Vicky Diab, BA

Mercredi 16 juin 2021 – Salles d’opération – Isolation des réseaux électriques et DDFT de classe A dans les salles d’opération
Orateur:  Amir Mojtahed, B.Eng., M. Eng.; Sonny Solanki, B.Eng.

Mercredi 22 septembre 2021 - Conception d’établissements hospitaliers résilients face au changement climatique
Orateur:  Gord Rajewski, R.E.T.

Mercredi 17 novembre 2021 - Entretien des toits
Orateur: Ted Katsoris, B.Tech, BSS, CCCA
Greening Health Care webinar - Year end celebration
Kathy Gerwig has been welcomed back to share the story behind Kaiser Permanente’s September announcement that it had achieved carbon neutrality for operations and is now looking at Net Zero for its hospitals.

Kathy will join Fiona Miller from the University of Toronto’s IHPME and Canadian healthcare leaders on an executive panel in a broad ranging discussion about hospital planning and operations in the age of COVID, economic recovery and climate change.

Date: Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Time: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM EST

Click HERE to register.
Circular Procurement Virtual Series 2020 - Measuring success
The circular economy is underpinned by redefining and measuring value, and transitioning the marketplace to deliver on environmental and social objectives on par with cost. This session will speak directly to defining value and identifying key performance indicators that deliver on its broader meaning; how we measure accurately and transparently against these indicators; and collaborate and reward suppliers and vendors that can deliver against this new definition of value.

Monday, December 14, 2020
11:30am - 1pm EST
Register HERE.
Did you miss the Sustainable Menus - Nourish Health webinar?
If you did not have the chance to attend the Sustainable Menus - Nourish Health webinar back in November, the webinar recording is now online!

Click HERE to watch it now.

Click HERE to access the sustainable menu website and guide.
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.
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.

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

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 
Go to our website at https://greenhealthcare.ca/ for more information and resources focusing on health care and sustainability.
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.