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Improving Sustainability and Ecofriendly Factors in a Hospital

Arjun Dhaliwal*
*R.E. Mountain Secondary School, 7633 202a St, Langley City,

Abstract
My initiative is to discuss hypothetical ways to improve sustainability and ecofriendly measures
taken in a hospital. The setting of this hypothetical will be in the Lower Mainland of British
Columbia, Canada. This exact location is important because the Lower Mainland is a place that
already has great environmental care and consideration in their buildings, but also has many
hospitals and great health care. Sustainability and ecofriendly factors in a hospital is scarce
because a hospital cannot risk having a failure occur. If there is a power outage, or loss of water,
it is literally a difference of life and death. However, since this is all hypothetical, and I am using
the assumption that I have many resources available to me, especially since this would be the
B.C. government manning the project, the creativity is endless, whilst also maintaining the
prioritized touch of realism. I will be acknowledging eco friendliness in multiple different
manners, however, all of them will be about daily matters and function of the hospital. With eco
friendly factors that regard daily matters, natural sustainability occurs, but I will also discuss how
sustainability will occur in the resources chosen to build my hospital with occurs.
Keywords: Hospital, sustainability, ecofriendly, resourcefulness, experimental design, scientific
report writing

Introduction
In a time that we reside in today, where many of our previously unspoken issues are being
discussed with power and confidence, consideration of common issues should be heavily
acknowledged when something new is being implemented. My initial goal for my capstone
project was to build a sustainable, ecofriendly hospital. A very vague goal, however I was able to
quickly narrow the accuracy that I will be going for. The immediate plan was to find the location
while researching how sustainability can be introduced into an intensive building like a hospital.

I am not an artist, and I am not an activist. In 2019, there was heavy activism regarding climate
change and the environment being disregarded by world leaders. A name associated to this
activism is Greta Thunberg. I do not know a lot about the protests or activist events occurring in
2019, however, they clearly influenced me because I am now in 2021 inspired and intrigued
about these issues, and am proactive on how we can make changes in our hospital today to fight
these issues. This is the point of activism, getting people aware and thinking of improving for our
future. This is why I am making this hypothetical hospital; to acknowledge some of our pressing
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issues in this world and how they could be worked on, even in a building that needs to be
running at optimum performance at all times. I say I am not an artist because I also created a
model of this hospital I am theorizing, but I could not show the eco friendly factors as well as I
wanted. I am great on research and reports, and will use this report to demonstrate all the
thoughts I had on my mind to better the hospital’s environmental factors.

Location
The importance of location cannot be stressed enough. Building this hospital in British
Columbia, one of the forerunners of ecofriendly factors, is convenient. British Columbia is great
with renewable energy, and our hospital will be use BC Hydro as our main provider for
electricity in the hospital. BC Hydro is a great option for what I am looking for, as “More than
90% of BC Hydro’s generation is produced by hydroelectric generation, which is generally the
most cost-effective, clean, and reliable option.” (BC Hydro). Renewable and resourcefulness is
the most important factor for this hospital. BC Hydro will be crucial to keep the lights on in this
hospital, but a closer partnership may be developed, as well as an advancement in British
Columbia, with what I have envisioned. My exact location of this hospital is at Boundary Road
and East Kent Ave S. This is in Burnaby, right above the Fraser River. Currently, there is a
development plan for
a residential zone
here, but it is not in
effect. This location
was determined with
respect to nearby
hospitals. This
location is about 10
minutes away from
Burnaby Hospital. As
I mentioned
previously, this
location could provide
an advancement for
British Columbia. According to the UCSUSA, a national non-profit organization founded by
group of scientists and students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hydroelectricity
and power can be generated without the building of a dam. Incorporating this in the Fraser River
would be highly useful. Called run-of-river projects, the idea is that the kinetic energy from the
natural river flow spins the turbine blades, rather than a dam controlling the speed of water. The
difference without the dam is the control over the power being generated. There will be less
control over when the power is generated as river will flow naturally, therefore, when power is
needed, the river may not be flowing as optimally. It is with this concern that this could not be a
primary source of energy, but it can be an innovative secondary source of energy that the Lower
Mainland has not seen. It would likely mean for a BC Hydro location on site of the hospital. It
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would be great use of the Fraser River without ruining the beauty of it with a dam. It would also
be helpful for other local buildings, as this location is a very industrial location with a rising
future for development.

Water is consumed quite heavily in hospitals. For example, before surgery, all personnel in the
operating room must scrub (wash hands) for 3 to 5 minutes. A case example from 1991 to 1994
by Norwood Hospital in Massachusetts showed that in 1991, the hospital used 51.2 million
gallons (193.8 million litres) of water. Changes in the vacuum pumps, medical air compressors,
changes in lavatories with low consumption aerators, changing the refrigeration system, and
changing their cooling system from a water-cooling system to an air-cooled unit. In 1994, the
hospital brought their water usage down to 36.6 million gallons (138.5 million gallons). In my
hospital, I will incorporate these water saving methods early so it can only further improve in the
future. The priority will be in lavatories and cooling systems, where we would incorporate air-
cooled units immediately, as well as aerators in all faucets except for scrub rooms.

My hospital will receive water from the Greater Vancouver Water District. The Greater
Vancouver Water District distributes their water from three mountain watersheds: the Capilano,
Seymour, and Coquitlam Reservoirs. With the Fraser River being there again, an independent
water reservoir and treatment centre can be made with the hospital. With a personal treatment
centre, rainwater could easily be collected as well. It may not be a large quantity, but anything
truly helps. Nevertheless, the independent water treatment centre with the hospital will likely not
be the primary water source as the Greater Vancouver Water District is a more dominant force in
the lower mainland that will be providing to the area naturally.

With location, it is clear that water in the Lower Mainland will be the hospital’s greatest asset.
Along with the great health care and resourcefulness that British Columbia prioritizes, water will
be something that will be a necessity. A necessity to keep the hospital always running, for the
workers, the patients, and the literal hospital itself.

Individual Ecofriendly Factors

With hydroelectricity being the main source of energy of my hospital, many other ecofriendly
factors will likely be a complimentary service. The most obvious source of energy that is heavily
desired in this world is solar power. Solar power is relatively weak to power an entire hospital,
especially in a geographical location like the Lower Mainland, so once again this would likely be
a secondary source.
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For solar panels with my hospital, I would

envision having a partnership with Tesla,
which could easily happen since this is with
the B.C. government making the proposal.
This could end up being a long-term
partnership with Tesla that could open doors
for future applications with Tesla, as well as
an opportunity for Tesla to show off the
power of their solar panels. Tesla advertises
their solar panels for an American
homeowner that desires a low energy bill, but our priority is to use solar panels to get the most
energy from it, the bill is not a concern. The solar panels are subtle and easy to apply, however,
the power would have to be harnessed into a much larger battery than Tesla currently uses. The
panels will be a secondary source of energy, mainly for being prepared for use during power
outages.

Natural Gas Replacements

Acknowledgements of the natural gas has not been talked about yet but is also an enormous part
of any industrial building. Natural gas is used to heat interior spaces and water heating. However,
natural gas is the largest concern of environmental factors. Resourcefulness and renewable
energy for natural gasses would be
incredibly useful, and the perfect solution
for a hospital is biofuel.

According to Britannica, biofuel is a fuel

created from biomass, which is plant or
algae material, or animal waste. It is a
renewable source of energy because animal
waste is replenished often and can be a
substitute to fossil fuels.

Biofuel can be easily used in the Lower

Mainland, and in the hospital it would be
used for heating purposes and a direct
Figure 1: Natural gas usage in hospitals all around the US

substitute for natural gas. To begin with, resources like wood and plants are an easy and
commonly used source for biofuel that is already implicated heavy in many places, however, I
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would not want to use these for the hospital. Forests are a big part of British Columbia’s culture,
and other than for the immediate aesthetic in my building during construction, I would rather not
deplete wood. Bamboo could be used in place for wood; however, it is not native to British
Columbia. Under biofuel is also the term biodiesel, and this is a liquid biofuel. It is typically
made from oily sources like soybeans or even the waste from cooking fat, and is already heavily
in use in Europe. Algae and cyanobacteria is also used to produce biodiesel, which is something
that can be looked at in the Lower Mainland. However, the primary way, and the most unique
way that biofuel can be used in a hospital is a way that is not in place now anywhere.

The idea is the following: using human waste as biofuel to be used as a renewable energy source.
There is no place better to use such an idea than in a hospital. It is an idea that has been
hypothesized before, however is not in place at the moment. Research conducted by United
Nations University in Japan suggests that “Biogas from human waste…is a potential fuel source
great enough in theory to generate electricity for up to 138 million households.” (United Nations
University). They also compare it to how the world already reuses the water and nutrients in
wastewater, no matter how extensive the process may be. However, student Franklin Huang from
Stanford University argues that yes it can be used as an energy source, but the cost efficiency and
energy outputted is not feasible enough to justify it.

In a hospital where human waste is being produced heavily, as well as primary energy sources
are already in place, human waste from people inside the hospital, along with support from local
sewage treatment plants can turn this hypothetical into a reality. The hospital can agree to a great
contract with local waste management services and create a plan to turn human waste into a well-
developed biofuel for the use of energy. Human waste is a biogas, which is a biofuel, however, it
is not currently being used for the purpose of heating and powering buildings. This could be a
revolutionary turning point, as it would only further the practicality of biofuels, and find a
greater use for human waste. Plus, human waste, especially from a hospital, is highly renewable
and abundant. Also, the hospital can be used as a study to see how effective human waste can be
as a source of energy; implications of human waste as energy does not have to go in effect
immediately around the Mainland. I think in a hospital, biofuel seems like a clear solution for
resourcefulness and sustainability.

Downsides of biofuel are not as concerning when used for energy/electrical sources as compared
to used in agricultural environments, where the biofuel could end up drying and depleting the
landscapes. Serious concerns that all biofuel sources create is the fact that, when burned off and
used up, the renewable energy source will make little net contributions to global warming,
climate change, and greenhouse gasses (primary negative gas is carbon dioxide). The net change
is small but still negative. This is an issue that is forever pressing when it comes to renewable
sources of energy; one that still needs a better solution.
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Conclusion
British Columbia has great ecofriendly measures in place already, however, many aspects can be
introduced to help with these factors specific to the hospital. The most unique and innovative
solution that can be provided is the biofuel; it is something that is not in place anywhere but
could change the use of human waste and renewable energy. If successful enough, it can be used
as the primary source of energy but will need BC hydro power on standby.

The use of hydroelectricity in the mainland is easy to use to power the hospital, however
implementing run-of-river energy sources without the use of dams in the Fraser River can be a
powerful secondary/back up energy source. Risk of polluting the river during the construction is
possible.

Solar panels and a partnership with Tesla are something highly feasible. Tesla loves to push
boundaries and giving them free range to make something powerful enough to power the hospital
can be something they may take the chance on. It may take some time for them to reach this
potential, but then again, a hospital will not be built in a week.

Water and human waste will be our prioritized initiatives. Finding ways to save water, while also
using the resource of the Fraser River next to us will be a trademark of the hospital. As
unappealing as the idea of human waste keeping our hospital open, it is something that will
always be in abundance and forever renewable. It will also make this new hospital an innovative
and risk-taking pioneer, one that will attract the world, attempting to make biofuel a priority in
their hospital.
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APA References

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Hospitals: Average energy-use data. Business Energy Advisor. (2021, February 1).

https://ouc.bizenergyadvisor.com/article/hospitals.

Huang, F. (2017, November 21). Biomass Energy: Poop.

http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2017/ph240/huang1/.

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. (n.d.). MWRA Online: Water Case Study, Norwood

Hospital. https://www.mwra.com/04water/html/bullet1.htm.

Selin, N. E. (2020, March 31). Biofuel. Encyclopædia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/technology/biofuel.

Union of Concerned Scientists. (2014, December 12). How Hydroelectric Energy Works. Union

of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/how-hydroelectric-energy-

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Ununiversity. (2015, November 2). Vast Energy Value in Human Waste. United Nations

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waste.html.