Environ Helps You Meet the Climate Pledge Presented by the HHS
The HHS (Health and Human Services) has a three-step pledge to aid the healthcare sector in reducing carbon emissions to combat climate change. Hospitals contribute 8 percent of US carbon emissions, making them a vital pillar of any national climate action plan. The HHS has voluntarily pledged to significantly reduce the sector’s campus (scope 1) and supply chain (scope 3) greenhouse emissions.
Their plan involves reducing emissions by 50% by 2030, designating executive-level leads focused on reducing Scope 3 emissions, and developing climate resiliency plans by 2023. Professional energy consultants like Environ will aid you in developing your own climate action plan to join the pledge.
We’ve worked with organizations in New York City and around the country to curb emissions and track progress. Below we outline the three components of the pledge and how we can help with each through our energy efficiency services.
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1. Reduce Organization Emissions by 50% by 2030
The first pledge is to reduce organization emissions by 50% by 2030 (based on a 2008 baseline at the latest) and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The HHS requires public accounting of progress on this goal. This public accounting should include reductions in emissions and outline the strategies used for reducing emissions.
Our energy consultants create customized energy efficiency strategies for existing properties through measures ranging from LED lighting retrofits to solar-plus-battery on-site power generation. Our monitoring software then lets you track your emissions over time to develop reports for other stakeholders. Our GHB/Carbon benchmarking includes traditional energy KPIs (the price of energy, consumption, savings, etc.) and GHG tracking (carbon emitted/produced, cost of emissions, and monitoring of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions separately).
2. Designate an Executive-level lead to focus on reducing emissions by 2023 and conduct an inventory of Scope 3 (supply chain) emissions by 2024.
Two-thirds of healthcare carbon emissions are through the supply chain. We’ll create a Scope 3 study with a life cycle analysis of the materials going into and out of your hospital. This includes how they were made, transported, and disposed of after use. This information is shared with a CFO or facilities leader who works within a sustainability committee that incorporates other relevant personnel, including finance, health specialists and sustainability staff. Environ will work with your executive leads to generate ongoing reports to track changes and progress.
3. Develop and release a climate resilience plan for continuous operation by 2023
Energy resiliency is another one of our specialties, and we know just how important it is in the healthcare sector. Hospitals must be able to continue operations during climate events that overwhelm communities and power grids. Environ develops resiliency plans that consider inclement weather, supply chain issues and citizen impact from natural events.
We’ll propose diverse solutions to give your property greater energy independence. As part of our plans, we’ll consider various financing options, including power purchase agreements, renewable energy certificates, and green tariffs.
Are you prepared to meet the HHS climate pledge? Our team of energy consultants provides all the tools needed to keep your organization on track. To find out more about our services and how they help you meet your goals, give us a call or fill out our contact form.