Kaiser Permanente operations are now carbon neutral, the first healthcare system in the nation to achieve the status, according to The Gazette.
One hundred percent of energy the system uses is being either used in a green way or is offset.
The energy initiative, now certified by the CarbonNeutral Protocol, began on the ground level inside and outside of buildings, from reducing energy use in lighting, HVAC and security systems to installing flow-flush toilets to xeriscape landscaping.
Investing in carbon offsets will counter emissions from natural gas power that heats and cools hospitals, according to officials.
You can read the 2020 Protocol by downloading the PDF.
Cathryn Jakicic is healthcare industries editor of FacilitiesNet.com. For more information on hospital campuses and other medical facilities, click here.
