For the 10th consecutive year, The Valley Hospital in Paramus has received national accolades for its achievements and innovation in health-care sustainability from Practice Greenhealth.
It received the Greenhealth Emerald Award, which recognizes the organization’s ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance and efforts to build sustainability and resilience into its operations and culture.
Practice Greenhealth describes itself as the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care. The organization provides environmental solutions to over 1,700 hospitals and health systems in the United States.
“Valley is committed to minimizing the impact of hospital operations on the environment and contributing toward a more sustainable future,” said Robert Brenner, M.D., MMM, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Valley Health System. “This award reflects our commitment to not only healing the community through health care but also in protecting the planet that sustains us.”
The Valley Hospital is operated and maintained using environmentally friendly principles, with more than 30% of the hospital campus dedicated to open green space. The hospital has two green roofs, which involve growing plants on the facility rooftops. Green roofs have numerous benefits, including reducing stormwater runoff, improving energy efficiency and improving the overall look of the hospital for patients and neighbors.
The hospital also features a cogeneration plant, which produces 30-40% of its power, depending on the season. The plant feeds power to a primary switch gear, which powers the building. This produces electrical energy, as well as heat, from the plant that would have otherwise been unused. The plant allows the hospital to produce its own steam, hot water and air conditioning while reducing Valley’s carbon footprint.
“In a shifting health-care landscape, a focus on sustainability can help build resilience while better protecting the health of patients and the community,” said Gary Cohen, Practice Greenhealth founder. “The Valley Hospital demonstrates the kind of leadership, innovation and performance that can drive the entire health sector toward more environmentally responsible practices.”
