Via Docuticker.

Hazardous Chemicals in Health Care: A Snapshot of Chemicals in Doctors and Nurses (PDF; 2 MB)
Source: American Nurses Association, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Health Care Without Harm
From press release (PDF; 58 KB)

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) in partnership with American Nurses Association (ANA) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) released the “Hazardous Chemicals In Health Care” report today, detailing the first investigation ever of chemicals found in the bodies of health care professionals. The inquiry found that all of the 20 participants had toxic chemicals associated with health care in their bodies. Each participant had at least 24 individual chemicals present, four of which are on the recently released Environmental Protection Agency list of priority chemicals for regulation. These chemicals are all associated with chronic illness and physical disorders.

The CleanMed 2010 conference is scheduled for May 11-13, 2010 in Baltimore. The deadline to submit presentation proposals is October 30, 2009.

Download Call for Presentations from the CleanMed Web site at www.cleanmed.org.

CleanMed is the premier conference on environmental sustainability for the health care sector. The conference attracts leaders and key decision makers from across the industry, convening health care professionals, university researchers, designers of professional buildings, and vendors of cleaner and safer products and services.

The conference aims to:

• Accelerate the development, use, and diffusion of environmentally preferable and occupationally safer products and practices in health care.
• Provide examples of best practices in environmentally preferable purchasing in health care and group purchasing organizations.
• Showcase environmentally sustainable design and construction practices in health care.
• Analyze and evaluate alternatives to medical waste incineration.

Read the press release.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) in partnership with American Nurses Association (ANA) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) released the “Hazardous Chemicals In Health Care” report today, detailing the first investigation ever of chemicals found in the bodies of health care professionals. The inquiry found that all of the 20 participants had toxic chemicals associated with health care in their bodies. Each participant had at least 24 individual chemicals present, four of which are on the recently released Environmental Protection Agency list of priority chemicals for regulation. These chemicals are all associated with chronic illness and physical disorders.

Read the full story in Environmental Protection.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new limits on air emissions will affect most existing hospital, medical, and infectious waste incinerators (HMIWI).

This final action will reduce about 390,000 pounds of several pollutants each year including acid gases, nitrogen oxides, and metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury.

The agency also is finalizing additional testing, monitoring, and inspection requirements. This final action revises the September 1997 New Source Performance Renew (NSPR) standards and emission guidelines for these incinerators and responds to the court remand of the regulations. It also satisfies the Clean Air Act requirement to conduct a review of the standards every five years.

Read the full post and comment at Software Advice.

In case you haven’t heard (or aren’t obsessively following IT trends like we are), the great trend in software is the evolution from traditional “on-premises” software (e.g. client/server software installed at the office) to Software as a Service (SaaS) (i.e. web-based applications that are managed in the vendors’ data center and accessed “on-demand” through a web browser).

Given what’s at stake for software companies in either camp, debating the merits of each model has led to some fiery discourse. We thought we’d fan the flames by introducing another angle: which model is “greener;” that is, better for the environment.

Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, N.Y. is not just the only university-based hospital on Long Island, it is the first hospital in the nation to pledge to reduce its environmental impact through a comprehensive agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The hospital and EPA today signed an agreement that outlines goals and strategies for energy and water conservation, solid waste management, green design and the use of environmentally-friendly products. Stony Brook University Hospital will track the results of these efforts and submit reports to EPA every six months.

“This agreement shows that a medical institution like Stony Brook University Hospital can provide world-class medical care while taking steps to protect the environment,” said EPA Acting Deputy Regional Administrator Barbara Finazzo. “This comprehensive agreement not only addresses broad issues like energy and water usage, but also those unique to the health care sector, like using environmentally-friendly medical supplies.”

“This MOU formalizes the hospital’s continued commitment to be an environmentally conscious healthcare institution,” said Stony Brook University Hospital CEO Steven L. Strongwater, M.D. “Our relationship with the EPA is a true indication of our commitment to continually improve out programs by reducing waste, minimizing the use of hazardous materials and preventing pollution of our valuable resources. It is another step in the process toward becoming a world class healthcare institution.”

The following are highlights of the agreement between Stony Brook University Hospital and EPA. The hospital will:

• Join EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, which offers technical assistance for audits, benchmarking and reduction plans, and strive to reduce energy by 10 percent. Under the agreement, Stony Brook University Hospital will also conduct a campus-wide energy audit with the goal of increasing campus energy efficiency.
• Recycle some 180 tons of cardboard and 5 tons of bottles and cans each year.
• Join EPA’s WasteWise program, which provides technical assistance for the development of waste reduction and recycling plans, including the setting of specific program goals.
• Design all new facilities to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard. LEED is an internationally-recognized green building certification system aimed at improving energy and water efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving indoor environmental quality, and conserving resources.
• Consider the use of coal combustion products, where appropriate, in future construction projects. The use of coal combustion products in place of Portland cement significantly reduces energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and concrete costs.
• Utilize clean construction equipment that reduces pollution from conventional diesel fuel-powered construction vehicles and equipment by requiring the use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel or best available pollution control retrofit technologies.
• Install WaterSense products where possible in the renovation or upgrade of existing buildings as well as in new buildings, and install low flow toilets and faucets in new construction and renovations. WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, certifies toilets, faucets and irrigation equipment that use at least 20 percent less water than conventional products.
• Reduce sterile blue wrap by switching to reusable rigid containers for packaging, transporting and storing medical instruments.
• Eliminate the use of mercury and plastics containing PVC/DEHP, and communicate commitment to PVC/DEHP-free purchasing to contractors and vendors.
• Employ recommendations from EPA’s GreenScapes program to reduce landscaping materials and high maintenance plants, reuse landscape materials where possible, recycle organic materials and purchase landscaping products that are environmentally-friendly.
• Recycle computer components, which often contain harmful metals and chemicals, through the use of an electronics recycling firm.
• Continue reprocessing medical equipment, including oxisensors, blades, burrs, bits, guide wires and catheters, and utilizing reusable containers for disposed needles.
• Continue to participate in EPA’s RecycleMania, an annual recycling competition among colleges and universities. The hospital collected some 420 tons of recyclables for the competition during 2007 and 2008.

EPA has similar agreements in place with the New York Jets and New York Giants for the new Meadowlands Stadium, the New York Mets for the team’s new Citi Field stadium, the Destiny USA mall project in Syracuse, N.Y., the real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J., St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y., and Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, N.J. For more information on EPA green construction and operations agreements, visit http://www.epa.gov/region02/greenteam/. For more information on Stony Brook Hospital, visit http://www.stonybrookmedicalcenter.org/home/.

Read the press release.

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) has entered into an agreement with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, to develop programs to help hospitals and healthcare facilities reduce their environmental impact, particularly in the area of carbon reduction. HCWH will work with CCI to develop building energy efficiency retrofit projects and other carbon reduction strategies in healthcare facilities.

Read the full story in Consulting & Specifying Engineer.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced a new initiative to assist the healthcare industry reduce energy costs and improve the environment while enhancing the treatment of patients. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities often use energy intensive equipment and processes to deliver patient care. The New York Energy $mart Focus on Healthcare will assist healthcare facilities in identifying cost-effective investments in energy efficiency that will improve overall energy performance.

May 15, 2009 – 1:00 PM Eastern
Cost: $150 (If you are a member of Practice Greenhealth, just enter your Subscriber ID for free access.)
Register Online: www.practicegreenhealth.org/tools/webinars/calendar/details/456

Topic
Research is documenting with increasing frequency that many “emerging contaminants” (ECs) such as pharmaceuticals, hormones, and fragrances that have not historically been considered as environmental contaminants are present across the world. These emerging contaminants are commonly detected in municipal, agricultural, and industrial wastewater sources. Since 1998, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Emerging Contaminants Project (http://toxics.usgs.gov/regional/emc/index.html) has been conducting “source to receptor” research on this rapidly advancing topic.

Learning Objectives

• Develop the analytical tools required for detecting ECs in the environment
• Document the environmental occurrence and concentration of ECs
• Characterize contaminant sources and their potential pathways into the environment
• Determine processes and factors that affect the transport and fate of ECs
• Assess the potential deleterious effects of ECs and complex mixtures of ECs on aquatic and terrestrial organisms

Presenters

Dana Kolpin, U.S. Geological Survey
Dana Kolpin is a research hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey in Iowa City, IA. He received his B.S. from Iowa State University and his M.S. from the University of Iowa (both in geology). His research interests include the occurrence of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other emerging contaminants in the environment. He has published over 100 papers and reports on environmental contaminants. He has been the project chief of the USGS Toxic Program’s Emerging Contaminants Project since 1998.

Charlotte Smith, R. Ph., M.S.
Charlotte Smith is Director of PharmEcology Services, part of Waste Management Healthcare Solutions (WMHS). She founded PharmEcology Associates, LLC in 2000 and sold the company to WMHS in April of 2009. Waste Management, Inc. is North America’s leading provider of comprehensive waste management and environmental services. Based in Houston, Texas, it is a FORTUNE 200 company with revenues of approximately $13 billion and more than 45,000 employees.

Being a part of WMHS will enable PharmEcology to assist the healthcare industry in reducing and managing pharmaceutical waste even more effectively. In addition to her work with PharmEcology, she is also a co-founder of Capital Returns, Inc., a nationally known pharmaceutical reverse distributor in 1991 and for 10 years served as president and chief regulatory advisor.

Ms. Smith is a registered pharmacist who received her BS in Pharmacy and MS in Continuing and Vocational Education from the University of Wisconsin. She is a member of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services.

Russell Mankes, PhD
Russell F. Mankes, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Center of Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience and the Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease at Albany Medical College. Dr Mankes has authored or co-authored over 90 scientific and technical publications and has held numerous research grants in reproductive toxicology and birth defects research. He serves as Toxicologist, Chemical Hygiene Officer and Responsible Official for the Albany Medical Center. Dr Mankes was a 2006 US EPA Environmental Quality Awardee and has been awarded a two year $153,000 US EPA Grant for Pharmaceuticals Waste Minimization. He chairs Albany Medical Center’s Controlled Substance Governing Board and is a member of the Centers Hazardous Materials Response team. He is responsible for compliance with Select Agent Regulations, State and Federal RCRA regulations as well as JCAHO&#8217!
;s EoC standards for Hazardous Materials and Waste Management. Dr Mankes received his doctorate in Experimental Pathology and Environmental Toxicology from the Albany Medical College.

John Simpson
John has over 16 years of experience in the hazardous waste field, which includes extensive exposure to a multitude of hazardous waste streams and regulations. Over the past five years, John was involved with the development and implementation of many initial Rx Waste programs in the United States, and he continues to be involved with new program startups every day.

Dates: May 18-20, 2009
Location: Hyatt Regency Chicago
For more information: http://www.cleanmed.org/2009/

CleanMed 2009 is the 6th international conference to catalyze environmental improvements in the health care sector. The conference draws a diverse mix of over 600 health care leaders, materials/ purchasing managers, Environmental Health & Safety staff, nurses and providers, architects, designers, and medical and building product vendors from across the United States—to a program that inspires and activates environmentally preferable advances in health care.

Deloitte LLP believes that greening efforts in health care organizations are appropriate and necessary for two reasons: They are good business and they are the right thing to do for employees and communities. Based on our Firms’ experiences and observations, there is a business case for “going green,” and health care organizations can achieve both business and social value through greening initiatives.

Greening and Sustainability in Health Care and Life Sciences: Implementing a Strategic Response, a new report from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, part of Deloitte LLP, explores leading practices of companies in several industries where greening efforts are mature, and compares and contrasts them with efforts of health care organizations. Six impact zones based on the leading practices of these companies provide a comprehensive framework for a health care organization’s greening initiatives.

For each of the major health care sectors – providers, health plans, life sciences companies and regulators – this paper provides:

• A value chain environmental footprint analysis
• Examples of sector leaders in greening
• Case studies
• Sector implications

Greening has the potential to have an impact on virtually every aspect of the U.S. health care system. It is clearly a trend, not a fad. It also is an imperative that will require organizations to change to be successful.

Read the full story in Water & Wastewater News.

On Dec. 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the American Dental Association (ADA) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) to establish and monitor the effectiveness of a Voluntary Dental Amalgam Discharge Reduction Program.

Read the full story in the Nashua Telegraph.

Tossing out everything from plastic bandages and cotton swabs to hospital robes after a single use, the U.S. medical industry generates more than 2 million tons of waste per year, environmental advocates say. Some of that waste makes its way to incinerators and, when burned, releases dioxin, mercury and other toxins.

Is it ironic that the industry we trust to protect our health is releasing substances that may be tied to cancer, diabetes and other illnesses? Many health-care professionals think so.

Friday, September 12, 2008
http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/tools/webinars/calendar/details/401

1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific and will last for 90 minutes.

Earn 0.5 AIA CEU:  Attendees of this ninety minute webcast can earn 0.5 CEU from the American Institute of Architects.  Upon the completion of the session, registered attendees will receive an email with a web address to register for their AIA certificate. Please email education@practicegreenhealth.org with you request for CEUs. If you are an AIA member please include your membership number.

Note: Access to Practice Greenhealth webinars is a fee-based service, and is one of many member benefits.  You can learn more about the fees and benefits of membership by going to our website, and you can join on-line as well. See http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/community/membership/

Access to a single webinar is also available for $150 or by purchasing an annual subscription for $795.  See http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/tools/webinars/

Topic

Why do green health care design and construction projects seek philanthropic and government funding? Is outside funding necessary to construct a green hospital? What kinds of strategies are most likely to be funded? How should a project approach an incentive program differently from a local or national foundation?  How is health care different from other sectors in the kind of awards it receives and the level of funding? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered during this evaluation of the health care sector’s success in taking advantage of grant and incentive opportunities specific to green building projects.

Learning Objectives

The integrated design process leads to a high performance building that maximizes the efficiency of a facility’s building systems and reduces operating costs.

1. Green buildings do not have to cost more than non-green buildings.
2. Commissioning a building’s mechanical systems is critical to ensure performance outcomes.
3. Integrated design process.
4. Critical elements that determine grant eligibility.
5. NYSERDA’s overall approach to energy efficiency and history with healthcare.
6. NYSERDA’s approach to energy efficiency in healthcare.
7. The successes and lessons learned of NYSERDA’s Healthcare pilot program.

Presenters

• Sandy Ambrozy, The Kresge Foundation
• Rachel Adams, NYSERDA Health Care Incentives

Please note, this webinar will take advantage of updated technology.  Your confirmation email will list the phone number and web address required to access the call.  No visual presentation will be available for download on the site.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm (Eastern)
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (Central)
11:00 am – 12:30 pm (Mountain)
10:00 am – 11:30 am (Pacific)

For more information: http://www.greenaudioconferences.com/greenaudio20080909/index.html

In the emerging field of Green Medicine, the relationship between the environment, medicine and human health is linked to improve health care while protecting scarce environmental and medical resources. Strategies and leadership are necessary to change environmental and medical practices.

This audioconference explores the research behind sustainable medicine solutions to protect environmental health, design green offices and offer renewable medical treatments for initiating green health care – from greening our offices, to offering inexpensive and renewable medical treatments and promoting community health.

Read the full story in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

Standing atop the four-story hospital, bathed in sunlight and surrounded by power-soaking crystalline silicon panels, Larry Barrett said it felt good to be first.

Read the full story in the Tallahassee Democrat.

Last Thursday’s editorial (”Greening TMH: Hospital promotes healthy environment, business”) missed an opportunity to reveal changes being made by the health-care industry related to environmental sensitivity. The focus was only on TMH. Based on actions set in place for months and even years, Capital Regional Medical Center could be considered the leader in going “green” in our health-care community.

Read the full story in the Washington Post.

Tossing out everything from plastic bandages and cotton swabs to hospital robes after a single use, the U.S. medical industry generates more than 2 million tons of waste per year, environmental advocates say. Some of that waste makes its way to incinerators and, when burned, releases dioxin, mercury and other toxins.

Is it ironic that the industry we trust to protect our health is releasing substances that may be tied to cancer, diabetes and other illnesses? Many health-care professionals think so.

In recent years, some have begun to think greener. Most efforts focus on reducing toxic waste from hospitals and medical offices as well as cutting back on water and energy use. But some doctors and health workers are also considering changes in their practices that could enhance environmental and patient health.

Read the press release.

The opening of Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend has been celebrated for the many innovative and patient-friendly design elements incorporated into the new facility. But one of the largest hospital construction projects in the Pacific Northwest in the last decade is also notable for another important reason: its commitment to environmental stewardship principles in the design and building of the facility, making it one of the nation’s greenest hospitals.

Practice Greenhealth, a newly formed nonprofit organization supporting the design, construction, operations, and services of sustainable health care facilities, is engaged in a search for a Senior Director, Green Building.

Practice Greenhealth was formed as the result of an alliance between Hospitals for a Healthy Environment and the Green Guide for Health Care, an independent project of Health Care Without Harm and the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems. Practice Greenhealth is dedicated to creating a national community that supports environmental sustainability in health care. Practice Greenhealth engages all sectors within the health care industry to grow and transform the market for environmentally preferable products and practices and, in the process, educates the health care community about how to reduce their collective environmental footprints from the design, construction, operations and services of health care facilities, to the manufacture of health products through to their disposal.

The Senior Director, Green Building will be responsible for the design, development, management, and delivery of all green building related programs for Practice Greenhealth. Primary audiences for Practice Greenhealth green building programs are the architecture, engineering and construction community, closely followed by the health care facilities and administration marketplace. Practice Greenhealth is a new organization and is in a start-up mode. We need someone to take the ball and run with it! The Senior Director, Green Building needs to be creative, entrepreneurial, work at a fast pace and deliver results in a tight timeframe. This position is a high growth opportunity for a motivated green building professional with an interest in health care and market transformation.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in green building, particularly sustainable and green building in healthcare settings. This position requires experience working with green building tools and rating systems in the context of architectural/ engineering/ construction practice; good communication and presentation skills; demonstrated public speaking and writing (trade publication level); a demonstrated ability to deliver knowledge and resources and drive member usage of Practice Greenhealth resources. Experience working with geographically dispersed co-workers in a collaborative web and internet-based environment is key.

The Senior Director, Green Building will report directly to the Executive Director and work closely with the Senior Director, Membership Development and the Senior Director, Green Guide for Health Care. A Masters degree in Architecture, Engineering, Environmental Design or related discipline, or at least 7 years of comparable senior level experience and LEED-AP (or willingness to acquire it within 6 months) is required.

Practice Greenhealth’s headquarters is in the Arlington, VA offices of Health Care Without Harm. Ability to travel is required. A competitive salary and benefits package is available. To apply, please e-mail your resume and a cover letter describing your interest in the position to Bob Jarboe via e-mail, bjarboe@practicegreenhealth.org. Interviews will begin immediately.

riday, July 25, 2008
http://cms.h2e-online.org/teleconferences/calendar/details/420

1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific and will last for 90 minutes.

Earn 1.5 AIA CEUs: Upon the completion of the session, registered attendees will receive an email with a web address to register for their AIA certificate.

Note: Access to Practice Greenhealth webinars is a fee-based service, and is one of many member benefits. You can learn more about the fees and benefits of membership by going to our website, and you can join on-line as well. See http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/community/membership/

Access to a single webinar is also available for $150 or by purchasing an annual subscription for $795. See http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/tools/webinars/

Topic
Hospitals are often one of the largest consumers of water resources in their community. In this Webinar, you’ll learn about the impact of laundry and stormwater on healthcare’s ‘aquaprint’. In the summer of 2007 Metro Health Hospital installed a 1 acre vegetative roof along with 3 bio-retention swales as design strategies to mitigate storm water run off. These design features were submitted as a part of Metro’s LEED certification. The two designs are undergoing a study to measure storm water runoff. John Ebers from Metro Health will describe the benefits of the project, and lessons learned. Next, Ken Tyler will discuss the impact of Laundry Operations on a hospital’s environmental footprint, and how that impact can be reduced. He will review several case studies during his presentation.

Who should attend:
Anyone involved in the operation, design, construction and engineering of healthcare facilities.
Take Home Value (THV)

1. The qualitative and quantitative benefits of a vegetative roof
2. The qualitative benefits of a bioretention swale
3. Implementation Lessons learned
4. Introduction of laundry industry data
5. Definition of laundry services
6. Impact on water savings-how and why
7. Construction and Equipment Alternatives
8. Greening a Laundry from top to bottom

Presenters

• John Ebers, Metro Health Hospital
• Ken Tyler, HRLLD, CFM, Encompass LLC

Please note, this webinar will take advantage of updated technology. Your confirmation email will list the phone number and web address required to access the call. No visual presentation will be available for download on the site.
To register for the webinar:
http://cms.h2e-online.org/teleconferences/calendar/details/420

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time. The call will last approximately 90 minutes.

Earn 1.5 AIA CEUs: Upon the completion of the session, registered attendees will receive an email with a web address to register for their AIA certificate.

Join us! Questions? Call Mark Tecca at 866-548-2140 or email education@practicegreenhealth.org.

Read the full story in the Boston Globe.

Hospital and nursing home building projects would have to be environmentally friendly to win crucial state approval under sweeping regulations proposed yesterday by Massachusetts health authorities.

Friday, May 9, 2008
http://cms.h2e-online.org/teleconferences/calendar/details/398

1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific and will last for 90 minutes.

Note: A subscription is required to access Practice Greenhealth webinars. Visit http://www.h2e-online.org/subscribe/index.htm for more information.

Topic
Case studies of health care projects recently certified under the LEED for New Construction rating system will offer a survey of successful green building strategies and a snapshot of current architectural and engineering design innovations in the health care environment.

Take Home Value (THV)

1. Provide an overview of how a healthcare system’s holistic approach to the health and well-being of its patients, staff, and the environment led to building one of the first LEED Gold-certified healthcare facilities in the country.
2. Demonstrate the importance of an organization’s continuing commitment to achieving those goals through the design and construction process, on-going operations, and routine maintenance practices.
3. Review of the specific design strategies incorporated in the Parrish Healthcare Center.
4. Learn how an effective healthcare facility planning process can ease LEED certification.
5. Learn about a model of collaboration between the hospital owner, designer and construction team that contributes positively to the LEED certification process.

Presenters

• Harvey Anderson, St. Mary’s / Duluth Clinic Health System
• Chris Male, Parrish Medical Center
• Robert Robbins, AIA, LEED AP HKS Architects
• Ken Sidebottom, CEM, LEED AP Johnson Controls

Please note, this webinar will take advantage of updated technology.  Your confirmation email will list the phone number and web address required to access the call.  No visual presentation will be available for download on the site.

To register for the call:
http://cms.h2e-online.org/teleconferences/calendar/details/398

Read the full story from Reuters.

Dental practices may be a source of a dangerous form of mercury contamination in the water supply, a small study suggests.

In tests of wastewater from two dental practices, researchers at the University of Illinois found high levels of methylated mercury — a chemically altered form of the metal that is toxic to the brain and nervous system.

Read the full story at McMorrowReport.com.

Sustainable management and greener purchasing are becoming critical aspects for hospitals and clinics wanting to present the best face to the community on patient care. For FMs at healthcare facilities, managing green buildings includes meeting the needs of varied users 24/7 — patients, physicians, staff, visitors and community. Protocols leading to safe and healing surroundings are gaining traction.

Read the full story in Plenty Magazine.

If you’ve ever sat in the dentist’s chair and wondered where all the latex gloves, chemicals, and x-ray films end up, or stopped to consider how much water and electricity the office uses, you aren’t alone. Some dentists are starting to take off their protective eyewear and see the bigger picture.

Read the full story in the Newport News Daily Press.

When you think of polluters, dentists aren’t typically the first thing that comes to mind.

“The amount of waste generated from the dental industry is minuscule. I mean, minuscule,” said Dr. Jennifer Howard, D.D.S. “But everything helps. Anything you can do to make some sort of an impact is always good.”

Howard tried to cut down on pollutants and build an environmentally friendly office when she opened her dental practice, Isle of Wight Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, on Gumwood Drive in Smithfield in 2007.

February 8, 2008
1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific and will last for 90 minutes.

Note: A subscription is required to access H2E webinars. Visit http://cms.h2e-online.org/teleconferences/ for more information.

Topic

AIArchitect describes “Sustainable Healthcare Architecture,” the newly released monograph on green building in health care authored by Robin Guenther, FAIA, LEED AP, and Gail Vittori, LEED AP as “a very important book.”  Join us for an hour’s overview of the best current examples of green building in health care and the authors’ vision for the future.

Take Home Value (THV)

1. Participants will be able to initiate integration of sustainable design strategies in healthcare settings.
2. Participants will be able to describe the broader context of healthcares fundamental mission to first do no harm as it relates to the design and construction of buildings.
3. Participants will be able to enumerate the components of a sustainable hospital building and project; discuss a broad range of sustainable building strategies, and understand their background.
4. Participants will gain a sense of the international market in sustainable health care architecture.

Presenters

• Robin Guenther, FAIA, LEED AP, Guenther5/Perkins+Will, robin.guenther@perkinswill.com
• Gail Vittori, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, gvittori@cmpbs.org

Please note, this webinar will take advantage of updated technology.  Your confirmation email will list the phone number and web address required to access the call.  No visual presentation will be available for download on the site.

Register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time. The call will last approximately 90 minutes. A subscription is required to access H2E webinars. Visit http://cms.h2e-online.org/teleconferences/ for more information.

The latest issue of Renewable Energy Weekly is now available. Highlights include:

• Clean, Green Energy Can be a Reality for the Southeast
• Renewable Energy Powers Rwandan Health Centers
• Consumers Click with Energy Savings
• Keeping Down with the Joneses
• How Would a Recession Affect the Solar Industry?
• A New Energy Direction: A Blueprint for Santa Barbara County

Date: January 11, 2008
Time: 1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific and will last for 90 minutes.Note: A subscription is required to access H2E webinars. Visit http://www.h2e-online.org/subscribe/index.htm for more information.

Topic
An overview of the history of green building in health care with a focus on the development of the Green Guide for Health Care. A review of health care projects that have achieved LEED certification. And, an interactive conversation with webinar participants on the emerging issues that will be important to the next generation of green building tools tailored to the health care sector. http://www.gghc.org

Take Home Value (THV)

1. Understand the history and fundamental issues associated with green building in health care.
2. Clarify the role of the Green Guide for Health Care in the growth of green building projects in the health care industry.
3. Review common, successful green building strategies for health care facilities.
4. Participate in a strategic conversation about the future of green building tools tailored to the health care environment.

Presenter

• Adele Houghton, AIA, LEED AP, Project Manager, Green Guide for Health Care

Please note, this webinar will take advantage of updated technology. Your confirmation email will list the phone number and web address required to access the call. No visual presentation will be available for download on the site.

Register for the call.

A full-color, graphic version of this newsletter is available online at:
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/enewsletter

Shaping Global Sustainability Standards, One Sector at a Time
By Jacqueline Le Sueur
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?Page=1&NewsID=36498
Green Globe, the international eco-certification program geared toward travel and hospitality companies, shows how certifying sustainability can move beyond broad building types to cover individual industries more thoroughly.

A Lighter Shade of Green
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36496
By Elizabeth Churchill, ED+C
Although healthcare and sustainable design are two industries that seem to go hand in hand, the costs of building green can seem to be too much for some health care groups. Takle a look at what Stillwater Medical Group did to increase its energy efficiency and create a more-sustainable site when expanding a facility in Minnesota.

Devastated Ks. City Chooses LEED-Platinum Future
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36472
Greensburg made history last month when it became the first city in the U.S. to mandate all city buildings greater than 4,000 square feet be certified LEED Platinum and use about 40 percent less energy than their conventional counterparts.

All Commercial Buildings Can Be Carbon Neutral, U.K. Report Finds
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36454
The majority of new non-domestic buildings can be zero-carbon if onsite, near-site and offsite renewable energy sources are used, a new report has found.

New Connecticut Construction Must Meet Green Standards
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36492
Law requires $5 million or more construction and $2 million or more renovation projects be in line with LEED silver requirements.

EPA: Low Impact Development Saves Money, Improves the Earth
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36500
In a new report, the EPA analyzes techniques used in 17 cases in the United States and Canada.

Green Mobile Homes Maximize Efficiency, Minimize Price
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36482
The GreenMobile includes the use of energy-efficient appliances, an option for solar panels and a design that takes advantage of lighting and ventilation.

Building Industry Groups Launch Zero Net Energy Push
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36477
The Commercial Building Initiative brings together government and industry groups working to make every building, new and old, carbon neutral by 2030.

UCSB Goes Waterless
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36451
The University of California at Santa Barbara will save thousands of gallons of water by switching to waterless urinal system. It should see a return on its investment within three years.

Delta Dental Plans Major Green Expansion of its Michigan HQ
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36441
The project will add 135,000 square feet of environmentally friendly buildings to its campus, using the latest buildings and landscaping techniques.

Green Building Alliance Gives $448,000 in Green Building Grants
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=36415
The Green Building Alliance has announced $448,000 in grants for seven projects working on new and improved green building products.

The Law of Building Green
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/tool_detail.cfm?LinkAdvID=95054
This paper is part of a guide to business and legal issues in sustainable building and development.

Smart Communities Network
http://greenerbuildings.com/tool_detail.cfm?LinkAdvID=2571
This U.S. Department of Energy site compiles resources, tools, articles and stories on sustainability, land-use planning, energy, building, disaster planning and more.

Read the press release.

Consorta, a leading healthcare group purchasing and resource management organization announced today that it will launch EverGreen magazine, the first and only healthcare industry magazine focused on green procurement and sustainable environmental practices. The bi-monthly magazine has a qualified subscriber base of more than 50,000 healthcare executives and supply chain management decision makers, making it the third largest publication in the healthcare field. Its Web site is www.evergreen-magazine.com.

LEED for Healthcare Public Comment Period
Only three days left to submit comments on LEED for Healthcare during the first public comment period!

Both supportive commentary for new credits that reflect the priorities of health care institutions and constructive criticism are encouraged.  The Green Guide particularly encourages health care institutions and designers to look at the draft and comment.

Visit the public drafts page for more information and to participate. Public comment is open to both USGBC members and non members (a site user profile is required to submit comments).

CleanMed 2008 Call for Presenters and Posters
Deadline for Submissions: December 15, 2007
Notification of Acceptance: February 11, 2008
Submit your abstract online.

CleanMed 2008 is accepting abstracts for presentations and posters.  A variety of leading edge presentations on health, environment and safety make CleanMed the premier conference on environmental stewardship in the health care industry.  Our presenters include health care professionals, food service managers, nutritionists, environmental and occupational health managers, purchasers, engineers, architects, and designers – the people shaping the environmental profile of health care.

CONFERENCE TRACKS

1. Green Buildings & Operations
2. Nutritious, Sustainable Food and Food Systems
3. Safer Chemicals and Materials
4. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
5. Waste Management
6. Role of Health Care Professionals in Creating Healing Environments
7. Climate Change

For more details on conference tracks, presentation formats, submission guidelines, and to submit online: http://www.cleanmed.org/.

GGHC/H2E Green Building Series – “How To” Achieve Environmental Quality Credits
December 07, 2007
1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific and will last for 90 minutes.

Note: A subscription is required to access H2E webinars. Click here for more information.

Topic
A panel discussion of professionals who will recount how they achieved specific Environmental Quality strategies on a project, from schematic design through construction.
Take Home Value (THV)
Places of Respite

1. Design places of respite to accommodate reduced patient walking travel distances.
2. Encourage patients to use places of respite as part of therapy by planning “rest stops” throughout medical center public circulation systems and on patient floors.

Lighting for Circadian Rhythm

1. Understand why light isn’t just for vision anymore.
2. Learn how to use light to help nightshift workers stay more alert on the job.

Daylighting

1. Learn how to configure and plan Inpatient Units for daylight.
2. Identify common barriers to configuring and planning D&T Blocks for daylight and best practice solutions.

Low Impact Construction Practices

1. Establish essential worker training protocols for maximum diversion.
2. Identify cost management strategies for waste diversion.

Presenters
Mariana Gross Figueiro, Ph.D., Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, figuem@rpi.edu

Dr. Figueiro is an assistant professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a program director at Rensselaer’s Lighting Research Center. She holds a BS in architectural engineer, a Master of Science in Lighting and Ph.D. in Multidisciplinary Science from Rensselaer. Her research areas include energy-efficient lighting, human factors in lighting, and working to better understand and quantify light as a stimulus for the circadian system. She teaches a Light and Health course and a Human Factors in Lighting course in the MS in Lighting Program at the LRC and has given more than 50 presentations and invited lectures in the topic. She has written numerous scientific articles for archival journals and trade publications and worked as an assistant editor on the 9th edition of the IESNA Lighting Handbook. She chairs the IESNA Light and Human Health Committee.

Dennis Kaiser, AIA, Perkins + Will, Dennis.Kaiser@perkinswill.com

Dennis has 30 years of healthcare architecture experience. His strength is in the design and coordination of large complex project issues including technology, operations and the patients’ environment as it supports healing. His background in bringing focus to multi-dimensional design requirements toward innovation and excellence in strategy and detail are qualities his clients have come to expect. Dennis is a frequent author and lecturer on the principles of solid healthcare design.

James Moler, P.E., Turner Healthcare, jmoler@tcco.com

Mr. Moler is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University professional degree program in Architectural Engineering with a specialty in building systems. His 30+ year career began developing innovative methods for delivering mechanical construction with appropriate labor resources for a national mechanical contractor’s significant projects. After receiving his professional engineering license he served in responsible charge of multi-disciplinary design and pre-construction services with sector leaders for more than 150 healthcare, hospitality and research facilities. Mr. Moler is a LEED® Accredited Professional, a member of the Green Guide for Health Care Steering Committee and teaches preconstruction and infection control in the Turner Healthcare Academy.

Ray Pradinuk, MscArch, MAIBC, Stantec Architecture, ray.pradinuk@stantec.com

Ray Pradinuk is Leader, Healthcare Research and Innovation for Stantec Architecture and works in the healthcare studio of the Vancouver office. The focus of Ray’s work has been on the social, economic and ecological sustainability of the built environment in general and, over the last 15 years, of healthcare facilities in particular. Patient safety, the staff work environment, configuring for daylight and natural ventilation, flexibilility and operational efficiency are primary sustainable healthcare design interests. Ray is a member of the steering committee of the Green Guide for Health Care.

Herman Miller
This teleconference has been made possible through a generous contribution by Herman Miller.

For over 35 years, Herman Miller for Healthcare has provided innovative, flexible, sustainable solutions for every area of a healthcare facility. Herman Miller for Healthcare creates great places to work and heal.

Please note, this webinar will take advantage of updated technology.  Your confirmation email will list the phone number and web address required to access the call.  No visual presentation will be available for download on the site.

“Creating Healing Environments”
Pittsburgh – May 20-22, 2008

CALL FOR PRESENTERS AND POSTERS

Deadline for Submissions: December 15, 2007
Notification of Acceptance: February 11, 2008
Submit your abstract online at http://www.cleanmed.org/2008/presenters_posters.html

CleanMed 2008 is accepting abstracts for presentations and posters.  A variety of leading edge presentations on health, environment and safety make CleanMed the premier conference on environmental stewardship in the health care industry.  Our presenters include health care professionals, food service managers, nutritionists, environmental and occupational health managers, purchasers, engineers, architects, and designers – the people shaping the environmental profile of health care.

CONFERENCE TRACKS

The tracks for CleanMed 2008 are:

1. Green Buildings & Operations
2. Nutritious, Sustainable Food and Food Systems
3. Safer Chemicals and Materials
4. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
5. Waste Management
6. Role of Health Care Professionals in Creating Healing Environments
7. Climate Change

For more details on conference tracks, presentation formats, submission guidelines, and to submit online: http://www.cleanmed.org/.

Read the press release.

Disposable plates. Dying flowers. Fewer bed linen changes.

These are a few signs that indicate Duke has cut its water use by thousands of gallons a day since the beginning of the drought, and leaders are pushing innovative conservations methods for even more savings.

Across Duke, conservation efforts are in full swing, even in medical facilities that account for nearly half of Duke’s overall water use. On Monday, a memo was sent to Duke Hospital leadership with conservation tips, such as less frequent bed linen changes and encouraging the use of waterless hand sanitizer.

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) and the Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) are proud to bring you another year of educational webinars (yes, we’ve upgraded!) on green topics on health care design, construction, and operations!

We are currently accepting proposals for webinar topics and individual presentations.

Presentation proposal deadline November 15!

GGHC Green Building Series
Please email info@gghc.org with your proposal for a topic or presentation idea associated with green design and construction.

Back by popular demand, the Green Building “How To” Series will present case studies and technical reviews of specific green building strategies.

“How To” Topics:
Integrated Design and Operations
Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency
Energy & Atmosphere
Materials & Resources
Environmental Quality

H2E Green Operations Series
Please email janet.brown@h2e-online.org with your proposal for a topic or presentation idea associated with green operations.
Toxicity Reduction
Use of the GGHC for environmental quality improvement
Volume Reduction
Employee Engagement Strategies
Data and Benchmarking for environmental improvements
Making the case of environmental initiatives to administration

Presentation proposal deadline is November 15  and selected presenters will be notified by December 15.

GGHC/H2E Green Building Series – Introduction to the Pharos Project
1-2:30pm ET, Friday, November 02, 2007

Topic: A guided tour of the multi-attribute green materials evaluation tool: Pharos.

Take Home Value

1. Gain an understanding of the framework of health, environmental and social impacts and ideal goals that define green building materials under the Pharos Project.
2. Learn how the Pharos Project’s web-based, open source materials evaluation tool under development will help them assess the impact of the building materials they source, providing a tool to put industry claims in context, testing product claims against verifiable data and user community experience.
3. Learn how Kaiser Permanente is using the principals behind Pharos for materials assessment.

Presenters

• Tom Cooper, Kaiser Permanente
• Tom Lent, Healthy Building Network
• Julie Silas, Healthy Building Network

Register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time. The call will last approximately 90 minutes.

Selected Resources for Pollution Prevention in the Health Care Industry (TN08- 092) is now available on the WMRC Library web site.

GGHC/H2E Green Building Teleconference Series: Sustainable Food Procurement
1-2:30pm ET, Friday, October 5, 2007

Topic: An overview of the sustainable food movement in health care and its implications to facility design.

Take Home Value

1. Understand the health and economic impact of conventional institutional food services.
2. Identify the key criteria associated with establishing a healthy food program in the healthcare setting.
3. Learn about the steps taken by leading health systems to establish healthy food service protocols: including purchasing, preparation, serving and compost/disposal of healthier food.

Presenters

• Mark Branovan, St. Luke’s Duluth
• Diane Imrie, Fletcher Allen Health Care
• David Wallinga, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

H2E Teleconferences are a subscriber benefit. For more information, visit http://www.h2e-online.org/subscribe/index.htm or call 603-795-9966. View the teleconference calendar or register for the call.

Waste Volume Reduction Strategies in the Operating Room
September 14, 2007
1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific and will last for 90 minutes.

The operating room is the largest “departmental” source of waste within a health care facility, so what a great area to focus for measurable waste reduction and cost savings efforts.

Presenters

• Peter Weber, RN, MSM, Clinical Education Coordinator RHC Surgical Pak Operations, Resurrection Health Care
• George Dempster, Summit Consulting Services, LLC.
• Julie Moyle, Surgery Manager, Boulder Community Hospital
• Vickii Pierce, Boulder Community Foothills Hospital
• Beth Wulfeck, Six Sigma Black Belt, MBA, Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati
• Tom Badrick, Sustainability Coordinator, Legacy Health System

An H2E subscription gives you access to 24 teleconferences (12 Green Building and 12 Green Operations) for the current price of $199 per year. Or purchase a single teleconference for $79. View the teleconference calendar or register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time and will last approximately 90 minutes.

In 2004, Davis Langdon examined the cost of building green, which included the cost of incorporating individual sustainable elements, and the cost of green buildings compared to their original budget. This paper provides an updated look at the cost of green by examining a larger sampling of buildings and looking at additional building types. The 2006 study shows essentially the same results as 2004: there is no significant difference in average costs for green buildings as compared to non-green buildings.

The paper analyzes the costs of academic buildings, laboratories, libraries, community centers, and ambulatory care facilities.

A full-color, graphic version of this newsletter is available online at:
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/enewsletter.

Creating a Truly Healing Environment with LEED Hospitals
By Jenny Stentz
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?Page=1&NewsID=35597
A new outpatient healthcare facility in Titusville, Florida, is applying evidence-based design and the latest LEED-certified building technologies to show how the country’s hospitals can take the next step forward in providing full-circle healthcare.

A Primer on the ‘Green Building Advantage’
By Dan Meza
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?Page=1&NewsID=35598
Although it may seem that, from the perspective of green building professionals, there is no stopping the momentum of green design, there is still a vast community of people who are unaware, indifferent or unconvinced of the advantages of green buildings. This overview lays out the many benefits of going green.

Thin-Film PV Market Could Top $7 Billion by 2015
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35595
The global thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) market is poised for explosive growth during the next 10 years, an industry analyst firm predicted Wednesday.

Researchers Use Nanotubes to Create Solar Cells
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35591
New Jersey Institute of Technology researchers claim they’ve created a solar cell that is cheap and can be painted or printed on flexible plastic sheets.

Nearly 500 More Solar Homes Planned For Sacramento Area
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35587
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) announced Monday a deal that will bring nearly 500 additional solar-powered homes to the region.

Chase Opens its First Green Bank in the U.S.
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35578
The Denver location, which was built to LEED guidelines and incorporates Energy Star office equipment and lighting, is the first of at least four more green branches to be opened by Chase in the coming months.

Columbia College Launches Sustainable Design Degrees
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35586
The school’s Masters of Fine Arts degrees in Architectural Studies and Interior Architecture will be among the first in the country to focus on sustainable practices.

ASHRAE/DoE Team to Promote Building Energy Efficiency
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35574
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and the Department of Energy want to improve energy efficiency in buildings by 30 percent over 2004 levels by 2010.

Company Opts For Recycled Steel Frame Panels Over Wood
By Tilde Herrera
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35576
A solar array will power a Rohnert Park, Calif., manufacturing facility that will trade trees for old cars to make steel frame panels used in commercial and residential construction.

More Than 300 U.S. Hotels Now Certified ‘Green’
By Glenn Hasek, Green Lodging News
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35544
At lease eight states have some form of green lodging program in place.

PV System Textbook Hits The Market
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35527
The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) for the electrical industry announced the publication of what it claims is the first comprehensive guide for solar energy system installations.

S.F. Ponders Tough Green Building Code for Private Buildings
By Tilde Herrera, GreenerBuildings.com
http://greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=35517
San Francisco’s Department of Environment will meet Monday with Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office to discuss the future of green building code recommendations made by a specially-appointed task force.

GreenSpec 7th Edition
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/tool_detail.cfm?LinkAdvID=89487
The latest edition of BuildingGreen’s directory of green building products has been fully updated to include over 2,100 products, including over 230 new additions and new, tighter standards that raise the bar for green products.

Building Materials Reuse Calculator
http://www.greenerbuildings.com/tool_detail.cfm?LinkAdvID=53007
This free downloadable software program estimates the environmental benefits of salvaging and reusing building materials.

Construction and Demolition Material Recycling – Cost Savings & Environmental Success

August 10, 2007
1:00 eastern, 12:00 central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific. The call will last for approximately 90 minutes.

Construction and Demolition debris is a major component of U.S. landfills. Hospitals across the country are recycling C&D waste, reducing waste volume and saving money. Learn from Institutional Recycling Network and HDR Architects as they present their C&D recycling success in health care!  Learn how you can implement construction and demolition debris recycling at your facility for both new construction and ongoing renovations.

Presenters
Mark Lennon, Founder and Principal, Institution Recycling Network

Bruce Maine, Sustainable Design Consultant, LEED Accredited Professional, Professional Associate, HDR Architecture

H2E Teleconferences are a subscriber benefit: Subscribe to H2E for $199 per year per facility or organization. Benefits include 24 teleconferences (12 Green Building and 12 Green Operations), awards program, technical assistance and more, or pay for one teleconference for $79. View the teleconference calendar or register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time. The call will last approximately 90 minutes.

Questions? Contact:

Janet Brown
Partner Coordinator
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
PO Box 3366
Amherst, MA 01004
413/253-0254
janet.brown@h2e-online.org

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment’s Green Building Teleconference Series
Toxic Chemical Avoidance in Health Care Construction and Facilities
1-2:30pm ET, August 3, 2007

Topic: An overview of why health care projects should avoid Chemicals of Concern and where to focus the designer’s and specifier’s attention. Case study of a health care facility that has developed policies to avoid the use of toxic chemicals in construction, demolition, and building systems equipment.

Presenters:
Peter Syrett, AIA, LEED® AP, Guenther 5 Architects
Email: ps@g5arch.com

Chris Youssef, Guenther 5 Architects
Email: cy@g5arch.com

Lindsey Waterhouse, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Email: lindsey.c.waterhouse@hitchcock.org

H2E Teleconferences are a subscriber benefit: Subscribe to H2E for $199 per year per facility or organization. Benefits include 24 teleconferences (12 Green Building and 12 Green Operations), awards program, technical assistance and more, or pay for one teleconference for $79.

View the teleconference calendar or register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time. The call will last approximately 90 minutes. Join us!

Questions? Contact:

Janet Brown
Partner Coordinator
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
PO Box 3366
Amherst, MA 01004
413/253-0254
janet.brown@h2e-online.org

H2E Teleconference: Toxicity and Volume Reduction Opportunities in Food Services – A Case Study by Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, WA
1-2:30pm ET, Friday, July 20, 2007

Topic: From waste prevention, to greener cleaners, integrated pest management, composting, reusables and recycling — food services has a lot of opportunitiy for environmental improvements. Learn from the team at Children’s of their positive outcomes attributed to changing how they manage food service materials.

Presenters
Gerard Kirchner, MBA,RD,CD, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center
Email: jerry.kirchner@seattlechildrens.org

Chef Walter N. Bronowitz CCC, CCE, AAC, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center
Email: walter.bronowitz@seattlechildrens.org

Mitch Birchfield, MBA, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center
Email: mbirch@chmc.org

H2E Teleconferences are a subscriber benefit: Subscribe to H2E for $199 per year per facility or organization. Benefits include 24 teleconferences (12 Green Building and 12 Green Operations), awards program, technical assistance and more, or pay for one teleconference for $79. To view the teleconference calendar: http://h2e-online.org/teleconferences/calendar.cfm

Register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time. The call will last approximately 90 minutes.

Questions? Contact Janet Brown:

Janet Brown
Partner Coordinator
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
PO Box 3366
Amherst, MA 01004
413/253-0254
janet.brown@h2e-online.org

H2E Teleconference: Toxicity and Volume Reduction Opportunities in Food Services – A Case Study by Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, WA
1-2:30pm ET, Friday, July 20, 2007

Topic: From waste prevention, to greener cleaners, integrated pest management, composting, reusables and recycling — food services has many opportunities for environmental improvements. Learn from the team at Children’s of their positive outcomes attributed to changing how they manage food service materials.

Presenters
Gerard Kirchner, MBA,RD,CD, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center
Email: jerry.kirchner@seattlechildrens.org

Chef Walter N. Bronowitz CCC, CCE, AAC, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center
Email: walter.bronowitz@seattlechildrens.org

Mitch Birchfield, MBA, Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center
Email: mbirch@chmc.org

H2E Teleconferences are a subscriber benefit: Subscribe to H2E for $199 per year per facility or organization. Benefits include 24 teleconferences (12 Green Building and 12 Green Operations), awards program, technical assistance and more, or pay for one teleconference for $79. View the teleconference calendar and register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time. The call will last approximately 90 minutes.

Questions? Contact Janet Brown:

Janet Brown
Partner Coordinator
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
PO Box 3366
Amherst, MA 01004
413/253-0254
janet.brown@h2e-online.org

1-2:30pm ET, Friday, July 13, 2007

Topic: An overview of the environmental and health concerns surrounding furniture and medical furnishings in the health care sector and a case study of a project that successfully specified green products throughout the facility.

Take Home Value:

1. Attendees will be able to identify and understand basic information about the key environmental toxicants in furniture and furnishings.
2. Attendees will learn about alternatives to some of the toxic chemicals that are currently on the market, as well as draft standards from BIFMA and A.C.T. that are upcoming.
3. Attendees will hear about innovative efforts undertaken by health care facilities and manufacturers to source green furniture and furnishings.

Presenters
Jean Hansen, IIDA, CID, LEED(R) AP, AAHID, HDR
Email: Jean_m_hansen@yahoo.com

Julie Silas, JD, Healthy Building Network
Email: jsilas@healthybuilding.net

H2E Teleconferences are a subscriber benefit: Subscribe to H2E for $199 per year per facility or organization. Benefits include 24 teleconferences (12 Green Building and 12 Green Operations), awards program, technical assistance and more, or pay for one teleconference for $79. To view the teleconference calendar: http://h2e-online.org/teleconferences/calendar.cfm. Register for the call.

The call is at 1:00 eastern, Noon central, 11:00 mountain and 10:00 pacific time and will last approximately 90 minutes.

Join us! Questions? Contact Janet Brown:

Janet Brown
Partner Coordinator
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
PO Box 3366
Amherst, MA 01004
413/253-0254
janet.brown@h2e-online.org

Read the full story in Green Building News.

Nearly two-thirds of health care and hospital administrators believe that sustainability will change the way health care buildings are designed and constructed, according to a recent study.

The study, “The Health Care Green Building SmartMarket Report,” examines the increasing trend toward green building in the $23.7 billion health care construction market and highlights the driving factors behind that trend.

Read the press release.

UnitedHealth Group has begun construction on a new environmentally responsible 10-story building adjacent to its headquarters in Minnetonka.

The new facility, planned for completion in 2008, reflects UnitedHealth Group’s commitment to responsible environmental stewardship and is slated to be among the first LEED-certified buildings in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.