Community Citizenship

Environmental Initiatives

UPMC is a leader in creating a new model for “green” health care through:

• A rounded program of environmentally responsible construction.
• Improvements in its own operations.
• Support for research and community programs to improve community health and quality of life through cleaner, more environmentally friendly practices.

Working with the U.S. Department of Energy, UPMC has designed a training program to help all hospitals better manage their energy use.

In addition, the Pediatric Environmental Medicine Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC studies the links between asthma and the environment.

Greening Initiatives at UPMC

Below are some of UPMC's ongoing greening achievements, with support from The Heinz Endowments and other partners.

Construction and physical plant improvements

• UPMC East hospital, to be completed in July 2012, is designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
  
  Other facilities that have already earned LEED distinction include:
  • Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and its research center
  • UPMC Passavant patient pavilion
  • UPMC’s corporate offices at the U.S. Steel Building in downtown Pittsburgh
• Green projects at other facilities have included:
  • Installation of solar power cells on Hillman Cancer Center in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh
  • Energy-saving upgrades of heating or chilling equipment at UPMC Bedford Memorial and UPMC Shadyside
  • A geothermal installation at UPMC Northwest
  • Elimination of mercury-containing fluorescent lights and thermostats

Systemwide activities

• UPMC has made its food services increasingly green:
  • Using recombinant-bovine-growth-hormone-free milk
  • Recycling cooking oil as biodiesel and a dog food ingredient
  • Using recyclable/compostable plastic serve ware
  • Holding internal farmer’s markets for employees
• Use of digital x-ray equipment, in addition to offering patient care and electronic records benefits, also helps minimize use of silver-containing developing chemicals and the space necessary to store x-ray film.
• The system has improved its sanitation and cleaning processes and materials to enable recycling and phase out use of polluting products.
• UPMC also:
  • Recycles paper, plastics, and batteries
  • Uses biodiesel fuels in its shuttles and delivery vehicles, and is looking into alternative fuel options
  • Implemented a photocopy/printer initiative to reduce paper use and eliminate waste
  • Provides enhanced employee training to educate staff on environmental sustainability and how they can help make the system greener

Outreach, support, and research

• UPMC collaborates or co-sponsors activities with:
  • Community-based groups to collect household hazardous waste and unwanted medications
  • Champions for Sustainability (C4S) Pittsburgh on a series of sustainable health care workshops
  • The Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation on a sustainable engineering workshop
• Through organizations like UPMC’s Medical Equipment Recycling Program, Global Links, Goodwill, eLoop, and Brother’s Brother, UPMC helps collect eyeglasses, prosthetics, hearing aids, durable medical equipment, hospital equipment and furnishings, medical office furnishings, and mobile phones for refurbishment and use by those who can’t afford them.
• UPMC continues to support community greening initiatives through the Oakland Task Force and the University of Pittsburgh’s Blue, Gold, and Green Event.
• UPMC sponsors greening research at:
  • The University of Pittsburgh’s schools of Engineering and Business
  • Duquesne University
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Thiel College

"Green" health care at UPMC hospitals

Read more about environmental initiatives at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, and UPMC East, to open in July 2012.