KDH recognized for environmental performance

In late October, 2015, KDH’s efforts to improve our environmental performance were rewarded with a Silver Seal in the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA)’s Green Hospital Scorecard.

KDH is one of only 31 hospitals in the province to be awarded a Silver Seal; just two hospitals reached Gold, the highest level.

The Green Hospital Scorecard shows our environmental performance in five areas: energy, waste, water, pollution prevention, and corporate leadership, planning and management.

It provides a snapshot of our energy and water use, waste generation, recycling rate, and more. The Scorecard also measures corporate commitment to environmental sustainability, and progress in environmental planning and target-setting. It highlights areas where we have been successful, and where further improvements may be possible.

The KDH Green Team. Front row (l to r): Tracy Welsh-Frappier, Leigh Nicholls, Shelley Molson, Lorna Larabie, Manon Purcell. Middle row: Heather Wells-Baker, Anne Marie Johnston, Tammy Buehlow. Back row: Harold Westendorp, Dennis Piche, co-op student Jordan Fleming.

The Green Hospital Scorecard enables us to benchmark our own year-over-year performance as well as do comparative benchmarking against the performance of our peer hospitals.

The 2015 Green Hospital Scorecard awards were based on environmental performance data for 2014.  As an example of environmental sustainability efforts at KDH in 2014, we were able to divert the following from landfill:

• Biomedical waste – 8929kg
• Shredded Paper – 2972kg
• Scrap Metal – 2750kg
• Pallets – 1800kg
• Toners – 180kg
• Batteries – 66kg

As part of the refresh of our Strategic Plan earlier in 2015, we had committed to the goal of attaining Silver Status by the end of 2016 – thanks to the efforts of our dedicated staff, we achieved our goal a full year ahead of schedule!

When the 2016 awards are handed out this fall, we expect a higher score as a result of a number of changes we made in 2015. For example, when patient rooms in our 1960s era wing were updated in the spring, we substituted energy saving LED lighting for outmoded fluorescent lights, and replaced aging air conditioners with new units operating on efficient thermostats. We also installed a new low-flow macerator (a machine that cleans bed pans) that uses compostable materials.

In the fall of 2015, we installed energy efficient LED lighting in the parking lot and placed occupancy sensors in the administrative offices so that the lights only go on when someone enters the room. We also replaced older toilets in the original wing’s public washrooms with low-flow toilets.

KDH CEO Frank Vassallo commended the hospital’s ‘Green Team’, led by Building Services Coordinator Tammy Buehlow, on the achievement of the Silver Seal. “Congratulations not only on reaching this substantial milestone,” he said, “but also on doing so a year ahead of schedule – your leadership propelled KDH to this accelerated accomplishment.”