 Published in the Journal of Green Building, Fall 2011, Volume 6, Issue 4, this paper was written by Dayle Laing and Walter F. Kean (MD (Glas), FRCP (Edin, Glas, & C), Clinical Professor in Medicine (Rheumatology), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
The_Greening_of_Healthcare_Fabrics_Abstract_Link
“There is no separation between environmental issues and health issues” (Smith and Lourie, 2010 a). Researchers from Environment Canada (Muir and Zegarac, 2001) estimate that North American healthcare costs and lost productivity linked to environmental factors total between $568 billion and $793 billion per year ($46 billion and $52 billion for Canada alone). These are staggering numbers and could be easily overlooked when various government budgets are examined as “silos” and the interconnectivity of the environment and health care costs are not considered. They are costs borne both financially and in terms of quality of life.
The greening of healthcare textiles is a topic of great importance for the overall greening of healthcare spaces due to the large number of chemicals used in the production of fabrics. Both patients and healthcare workers are exposed to these chemicals through dermal contact, inhalation, and ingestion. Hospital “green” teams and purchasing agents need to be aware of how to best select textiles for their facilities.
Click here to receive your Greening_of_Healthcare_Information_Kit including a reprint of Dayle and Dr. Kean's paper, "The Greening of Healthcare: Fabrics used in Health Care Facilities.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a comprehensive internationally recognized standard for certification and construction of green buildings (Canada Green Building Council, 2004a). The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) started this program in 1993, and there are currently non-profit green building councils in 77 countries around the world (World Green Building Council, 2010). LEED standards are set for energy savings, water efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, stewardship of resources, and sustainable locations. Innovation and education are also rewarded in the certification process. Verifiable third-party standards are set for practical and measurable design, construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings. Programs are available for commercial and residential buildings and neighbourhoods. The USGBC is currently developing a program specifically for healthcare (US Green Building Council, 2010).
The general principles from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) (Canada Green Building Council, 2004a) provide the analytical framework for the five criteria for selecting textiles for healthcare use presented in Table 1 in the paper.
 The_Journal_of_Green_Building is accessed by an extensive global readership of professionals, academics, researchers and institutions. The purpose of the journal is to present the very best of practical applications together with the very best of peer-reviewed research in green building design and construction. Fields include architecture, engineering, construction, construction management, building science, facilities management, landscape architecture, interior design, and all disciplines related to the built environment.
For more information, or to contact Dayle to present a seminar or consult on this important topic, please contact the office at 905-846-3221 or info@daylelaing.com |
