Healthcare Beyond Carbon :
Exploring Healthcare Systems ’ Journeys to Net-Zero in Africa
Iphendule Ndzipho Sustainability Consultant - Built Environment WSP in Africa
One of the biggest challenges for healthcare facilities is how to reduce their carbon emissions and transition to net zero , especially as the demand for health services grows . Healthcare buildings perform a critical role in communities around the world . But they are also among the most carbon intensive facilities , directly and indirectly . Overall , healthcare is responsible for almost 5 % of global carbon emissions .
As we grapple with the impacts of a climate emergency , different healthcare systems around the world are responding to their unique circumstances with a variety of strategies and design solutions to decarbonise their facilities . Decarbonisation has the potential to improve health outcomes in the short and longer term , making it crucial for the future viability of health systems . By focusing attention on the hospital environment and transitioning to cleaner forms of energy , for example , it is possible to realise better conditions for patients , staff and wider communities .
The primacy of clinical need and infection control standards is universal . Meeting these requirements is often viewed as diametrically opposed to decarbonisation , which requires drastic reductions of energy and water use . But these two priorities can , in fact , work together symbiotically – considering aspects such as air change rates and recirculation , heat recovery , alternatives to fossil fuels for sterilisation , and how digital modelling and occupant-sensing controls might be used to improve both healthcare environments and energy performance .
A good example of this symbiosis in action is Roha Health Inc ’ s multimillion-dollar Roha Advanced Multi-Speciality Hospital project in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . Due for completion in 2026 and supported by WSP ’ s comprehensive engineering and sustainability services , the facility aims to meet critical healthcare needs on the continent . The hospital will span 40,000m ² and feature 350 beds with 8 operating theatres . It will also offer advanced specialties and cutting-edge technology , including oncology , dialysis , neurosurgery , spine surgery , cardiac surgery , as well as a dedicated Mother & Child floor offering maternal and child health services . It aims to become Ethiopia ’ s first JCI ( Joint Commission International ) accredited hospital – robustly assessed for patient safety and quality of care . Careful planning
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