Improving Healing Environments: Strategic Environmental Solutions

Date: Thursday, July 21, 2011

Time: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Fairmont Pittsburgh

Cost: $105 for C4S/Sustainable Pittsburgh Members
$125 Nonmembers
Students: Special Rate

Lunch and Coffee Provided

Click here for the press release for this event.

Event Summary

This workshop features interactive work sessions with healthcare experts in energy, waste, infection control/green cleaning, and green building operational areas. Each session provides access to cutting edge solutions to these environmental issues facing healthcare facilities.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, "Hospitals make significant contributions to their communities by providing a wide variety of services. They are also major employers, with healthcare comprising approximately 16% of the national and regional economy. Hospitals operate all day everyday, making their environmental footprint large in many communities. Hospitals generate approximately 7,000 tons per day of waste, including infectious waste, hazardous waste, and solid waste."

Addressing these issues presents opportunities for also improving the environment in which healing takes place. This workshop provides an opportunity for health organization leaders to learn how they can address the key challenges of energy, waste, infection control, and facility design in practical and strategic ways.

Workshop Report

Click here to view a downloadable summary, including presenter bios, participant breakout session survey and discusion session information.

Presenter Materials

Click on the name of each presenter to view his/her presentation materials (useful for viewing while watching the video).

7:30 am Registration Begins

8:00 am Plenary Speaker:

Karen Wolk Feinstein, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Jewish Healthcare Foundation

9:00 am Concurrent sessions on Energy and Waste

A. Energy Workshop: Operational Strategies for Saving Energy

• Drew Chidester, Senior Director, Energy and Environmental Engineering/Affairs, UPMC
• Sam McMahon, System Energy Coordinator, UPMC

B. Waste Panel Discussion: Operational Strategies for Reducing Healthcare Waste

• Angela Garcia, Deputy Director, Global Links
• Ned Eldridge, CEO, eLoop, LLC
• Judith Focareta RN, MEd, Coordinator, Environmental Health Initiatives, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC

11:00 am Sharing of Workshop/Panel Session 1 Outcomes

11:30 am Lunch

12:30 pm Concurrent Sessions on Green Cleaning/Infection Control and Green Buildings

C. Green Cleaning/Infection Control Panel Discussion

• Janet E. Stout, Ph.D., Specialty Pathogens Laboratory
• Mary B. Swanson, Senior Environmental Scientist, Green Seal, Inc.

D. LEED for Healthcare Facilities / Green Building Workshop

• Marc Mondor, evolveEA

2:30 pm Sharing of Workshop/Panel Session 2 Outcomes

3:00 pm Adjourn

About the Sustainability and Healthcare Series

Sustainable Pittsburgh’s sustainable business network, Champions for Sustainability (C4S) has launched a series of workshops that advance the mutually reinforcing agendas of sustainability and healthcare.

Each event spotlights how sustainability improves health outcomes, healthcare benefits, business performance and provides best practices, resources, examples, and how to get started.

Click here to learn more about the series and to view materials from past programs in the series.

Save the Dates for Upcoming Programs in the Series

• October 6, 2011: Sustainability Standards and Regulations for Healthcare
• November 3, 2011: Sustainable Product and Service Procurement
• December 1, 2011: Information Management for Sustainability and Healthcare

For more information, please contact:

Matthew M. Mehalik, Ph.D., Program Manager, Sustainable Pittsburgh mmehalik@sustainablepittsburgh.org