Environmentally Sustainable Building Initiatives in Health Care

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD Guest: Ted Schettler, MD, MPH Guest: Gary Cohen Imagine a cancer center built without any of the toxic carcinogens commonly used in construction. It’s a concept that many experts in the health care industry believe could soon become a reality. In hospital architecture and building, what are other promising examples of environmental responsibility that might apply to your clinical setting? Gary Cohen, co-executive director of Health Care Without Harm, an international campaign in support of environmentally responsible health care, evaluates the pros and cons of retrofitting old buildings versus new construction, and talks with host Dr. Mark Nolan Hill about a range of cost-effective ‘green’ structural options, from recycled rubber flooring that would prevent injuries from falls and reduce hospital noise, to novel energy-efficient ventilation patterns that could curtail infection rates. Will we soon see a movement toward green initiatives factoring into accreditation for health care institutions?