Green hospital - A necessity and not option

Introduction: There is no countering the fact that in the latter half of the 20th century humans have tampered with the ecosystem as has never been done before. Healthcare sector, through its consumption of a large number of resources and generation of an array of wastes, has itself become a public health concern. According to Indian Green Building Council, a green hospital building can be defined as one which enhances patient well-being, aids the curative process, while utilizing natural resources in an efficient, environment-friendly manner. Hospitals should be leading the way in providing patients the best quality of service and within the environment’s safety. Sick people should have the greenest buildings of all. This article aims to understand the basics of green hospitals, their various functions, the need to implement these ideas in hospitals rendering them environment and patient friendly, to identify the factors that affect the quality of green hospital design and to inform future green hospital designs. Methodology: A systematic search was conducted to understand the broad issues of climate change, green hospitals and environmental sustainability. Information from green hospitals that are presently operating in India and abroad were collected and compiled to know the impact of implementing such measures in the economy of the hospital, recovery time of the patients and saving environment. Important reports and articles were collected in full text for further reference. Result: By observing various green hospital’s data, these strategies reduce buildings' operating costs by 8.9 %, increase building value by 7.5 %, a 6.6 % return on investment, increase occupancy ratio by 3.5 %. The relationship between improved indoor air quality and positive health impacts on illness, including asthma, flu, sick building syndrome, respiratory problems and headaches, the improvements ranged from 13.5 to 87%. Conclusion: Healthcare facilities in India and around the