As part of Northeast Health Wangaratta’s commitment to improving our environmental performance, our Environmental Sustainability Plan 2016 – 2018 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 summe
- 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
- Reuseable 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 separtment 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 main dishwasher in 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
- Environmental Sustainability Plan 2016 – 2018.pdf [192KB]
- North East Health Sustainability Group – facebook page
- Climate and Health Alliance
Contact
Kim Bennetts
Director, Support Services | Corporate Services
Phone: +61 (03) 5722 5655
Email: Kim.Bennetts@northeasthealth.org.au
Northeast Health Wangaratta
35-47 Green Street, Wangaratta, Victoria 3677
PO BOX 386, Wangaratta Vic 3676