By Dan Hounsell

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the resolve and the reserves of hospital systems nationwide as it strained organizations to treat patients and at the same time continue to pursue long-standing goals, such as sustainability and energy efficiency. While much of the focus in the last year has fallen on systems in large cities, safety-net and rural hospitals often have faced tougher challenges in trying to survive and thrive.

Now, the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) and Practice Greenhealth will host a select cohort of facility, energy, construction and design professionals who work for safety-net and rural hospitals to support these hospitals in sustainability efforts and becoming more energy efficient, according to Health Facilities Management.

Safety-net and rural hospitals typically have the fewest resources and least capacity to work on sustainability measures. ASHE and Practice Greenhealth have collaborated to design a support system to improve and strengthen sustainability and energy efficiency efforts at these institutions.

ASHE and Practice Greenhealth will feature experts to inform and assist participants’ energy efficiency wor. Anticipated topics include strategic energy management planning, project recommendations at various levels of investment, new technologies and innovative funding mechanisms.