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Environmental Sustainability

As part of Northeast Health Wangaratta’s commitment to improving our environmental performance, our Environmental Sustainability Plan 2019 – 2021 has been updated and an Environmental Sustainability Committee established to support the initiatives to meet our key objectives and targets.

Within this plan we aim to:

  • Conserve energy
  • Conserve water and minimise wastewater disposal
  • Minimise and, where possible, eliminate the use of harmful substances
  • Ensure the correct and safe disposal of all substances
  • Minimise waste generation through reduction, reuse and recycling
  • Minimise pollution – noise, visual electromagnetic radiation, and odour
  • Address environmental concerns in all our planning and landscaping decisions
  • Encourage procurement procedures that adhere to the principles of our environmental policy

Completed initiatives- Energy, water and waste:

  • Insulation is now in the roof area of Day stay & CSD – assisting with improved temperature control
  • Reflective roof paint on main Ward block to assist in reducing the internal temperature over summer
  •  24hour, 7-day timers on the toilet exhaust fans in Margaret Boyd Education Centre and Community Care Centre as these buildings don’t operate 24/7
  •  LED corridor lighting and exit and emergency lights around Medical, Surgical, Thomas Hogan Rehabilitation and Maternity units
  •  LED exit and emergency lights in kitchen
  •  LED highbay (warehouse style) lighting in Supply Department. Also improved brightness of lighting in supply by 33%
  • LED external security lighting on WJ Smith building and in Dixon Street this allowed us to remove an electricity account with old inefficient lights saving over $1,600 per year in electricity costs
  • LED lighting in Docker Street staff car park which also improves security
  • Solar hot water system for Thomas Hogan Rehabilitation Centre. Another one is soon to be installed in Dental
  • Door seals to stop cold air drafts, which reduces air conditioning costs, in Volunteer and Creative Services and Medical Imaging Department.
  • LED office lighting in Facilities & Maintenance
  • All 680 odd halogen downlights replaced with LEDs
  • External lights along Green Street, Docker Street and front entrance are now LED
  • Reprogrammed the building management system to turn off more areas after hours when they are not in use. This included a more extensive switch off program over Christmas 2016 in Community Care Centre, the library, Facilities & Maintenance, Health Information Services, the Boardroom, Executive corridor and Education & Research Unit
  • Optimising the chiller sequencing to run out most efficient chiller (the power pax) first before the other two turn on
  • Automatic door closes on the Facilities & Maintenance office to reduce cold air drafts and air conditioning costs
  • New toilet in Volunteer & Creative Services that reduces water consumption
  • Stopped a major air leak in our medical breathing air system that was causing our medical air compressors to run more than required
  • Dyson air blade dryer in men’s toilet near supply – reducing paper use
  • Worked with Information Technology to shut some computers down when not in use
  • Printer toners and cartridge recycling program in place – avoiding disposal general waste destined for landfill
  • Battery recycling program in place – avoiding disposal general waste destined for landfill
  • Reusable coffee cup available for sale in the café – reducing disposable coffee cup use avoiding disposal general waste destined for landfill
  • Green Leaf Award – recognising NHW wards and departments efforts in sustainable practices
  • Established targets for reducing clinical and general waste streams and increasing recycling initiatives as part of the NHW Sustainability Plan – to be achieved by 2018
  • Reporting progress against targets to the Board of Management every quarter.

Future projects include- Energy, water and waste:

  • LED exit and emergency lighting in Nuclear Medicine
  • Reducing water use of the main dishwasher in the kitchen
  • More variable speed drives on our pumps and supply air fans
  • LED lighting in Illoura corridors (funded via a business case)
  • Regular features relating to sustainability to be included in the CEO Newsletter
  • Clear signage throughout the organisation to guide staff on the correct way to disposal of waste

Useful Links & Downloads

Contact

Kim Bennetts
Director, Support Services | Corporate Services
Phone: +61 (03) 5722 5655
Email: Kim.Bennetts@nhw.org.au

Northeast Health Wangaratta
35-47 Green Street, Wangaratta, Victoria 3677
PO BOX 386, Wangaratta Vic 3676