平特五不中

On the cusp of the Canada Earth Day celebrations this Sunday, April 22, the 平特五不中 Health Centre (MUHC) unveiled today the Environmental Policy it has developed in order to implement sustainable best practices into all aspects of its operations, as well as into the design and construction of its facilities on the Glen and Mountain campuses. The policy will not only allow the MUHC to reduce its environmental footprint, but to also derive significant operational savings that can be used for patient care, research and teaching.

鈥淨uality health care and the state of our environment are two subjects that the Quebec population is truly concerned about,鈥� stated Arthur T. Porter, MUHC Director General and CEO. 鈥淎s a publicly funded institution that is energy and resource intensive, the MUHC has a civic duty to analyze its purchasing, operational and waste management practices and see where it can do a better job. I鈥檓 proud of the direction in which we鈥檙e headed.鈥�

Thanks to energy projects already completed at the Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute, and a new one underway at the Montreal General Hospital, the MUHC will save nearly 6.5 million dollars annually. It will also reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 36.4% or 28,000 tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to the pollution created each year by over 11,000 vehicles. These energy projects are financed through the Agence de la sant茅 et des services sociaux de Montr茅al, Hydro-Qu茅bec, Gaz M茅tro, and the Government of Canada鈥檚 Office of Energy Efficiency.

鈥淭he MUHC has set up an Environmental Committee, which will play a vital role in developing comprehensive strategies that will allow the MUHC to demonstrate leadership in environmental stewardship,鈥� stated Cathy-Ann Barr, Committee Co-Chair and a LEED庐 (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) expert for the MUHC. 鈥淥ur goal is to launch an environmental management system (EMS) by September. In tandem with our Go Green and LEED庐 efforts, the EMS will allow us to bridge the gap between green building practices and pollution prevention work in health care facility operations."

In March 2006, the MGH became the first hospital in Canada to be certified Go Green by BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association), and the MUHC is currently pursuing Go Green certification for all its existing hospitals. The MUHC is also a LEED庐 candidate, as it has registered both the Glen and Mountain campuses for certification. In addition, the MUHC became a member of Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) in January 2007 because it shares H2E鈥檚 vision of a health care system that recognizes the link between operational decisions and health outcomes. As an H2E Partner, the MUHC pledges to support:

• The virtual elimination of mercury;
• The reduction of the quantity and toxicity of health care waste;
• The minimization of use and exposure to hazardous chemicals;
• The reduction of the health care sector鈥檚 environmental footprint through resource conservation and other measurable environmental improvements; and
• The integration of sustainable design and building techniques with environmentally sound operational practices to create a true healing environment.

LEED庐 certification distinguishes building projects that have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability by meeting higher performance standards in environmental responsibility and energy efficiency. Before certification, detailed documentation of performance standards are technically reviewed.

The BOMA Go Green Environmental Certification programme is voluntary and designed for existing or occupied buildings. Its goal is to recognize buildings where environmental best practices have been implemented into the operations.

The H2E programme has currently 1,350 partners representing 7,194 health care facilities, including 1,614 hospitals, 3,690 clinics, 917 nursing homes and 973 other types of facilities.

About the MUHC Redevelopment Project
Guided by its mission and its role as the nerve centre of the 平特五不中 integrated university hospital network, the MUHC is carrying out a $1.579-billion Redevelopment Project that will help the Government achieve its vision for academic medicine in Quebec. Excellence in patient care, research, education and technology assessment will be fostered on two state-of-the-art campuses 鈥� the Mountain and the Glen 鈥� and through strong relationships with health care partners. Each LEED庐-registered campus will be designed to provide patients and their families with 鈥淭he Best Care For Life鈥� in a healing environment that is anchored in best sustainable development practices, including BOMA Go Green guidelines.

The 平特五不中 Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. The MUHC is a merger of five teaching hospitals affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at 平特五不中 鈥� the Montreal Children鈥檚, Montreal General, Royal Victoria, and Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, as well as the Montreal Chest Institute. Building on the tradition of medical leadership of the founding hospitals, the goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field, and to contribute to the development of new knowledge.