Healthcare Sustainability Symposium

Covering Clean Air, Water Efficiency,Smart Grid, and Community Benefits

June 16^th 2014

8:30 - 11:30 AM - Presentations

11:30 - 1:00 Optional Working Sessions

Respiratory Health Association - 1440 W. Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607

Symposium will include presentations on:

• Water Efficiency by Mary Ann Dickinson of Alliance for Water Efficiency
• Smart Grid and Energy Efficiency by Curt Volkmann of Environmental Law & Policy Center
• Clean Diesel Construction by Ramesh Raman of Raman and Associates
• Community Benefits for Environmental Initiatives by Patsy Matheny of Patsy Matheny LLC

Working Sessions (optional): For those wanting to discuss their hospital's specific circumstances, concurrent working sessions will be held 11:30 - 1:00. Lunch will be provided.

• Clean Diesel Constructioin
• Community Benefits for Environmental Initiatives

Session Overviews:

• Water Efficiency: This session will discuss the general water management problems facing the country as well as the history of efficient and sustainable water use.  A special focus of the presentation will outline the public health concerns surrounding water efficiency in hospitals and medical facilities.  While water efficiency is an important objective in all buildings, it cannot ever compromise patient health and we are learning some alarming new things about that.

• Smart Grid and Energy Efficiency: Commonwealth Edison is spending billions to make its grid “smarter” and Illinois gas and electric utilities are spending hundreds of millions on energy efficiency programs. Additionally, new state legislation will soon make local renewable energy more economically attractive. This presentation will explain what this means for healthcare organizations and how they can take advantage of these programs to save money and reduce harmful emissions.

• Clean Diesel Construction: The presentation will explore strategies that have successfully reduced pollution from older diesel engines used at construction sites, especially at construction projects at institutions such as hospitals and universities. Diesel engine exhaust from construction equipment is a primary source of air pollution that poses a significant risk to human health, particularly in densely-populated urban areas. This presentation will cover what hospitals can do to ensure the use of clean diesel construction equipment at hospital construction projects, including clean diesel construction policies and the implementation of such policies.

• Community Benefits for Environmental Initiatives: Integrating environmental and community benefit activities plays a significant role in improving a community’s health status. The presentation will focus on how this integration aligns with national initiatives; the roles for various hospital departments and community partners; and the criteria for reporting environmental activities to the IRS under tax-exempt, community benefit guidelines.

• Optional Working Sessions: For those wanting to discuss their hospital's individual circumstances, concurrent working sessions will be held at the conclusion of the presentations and morning session. These sessions will provide an opportunity for attendees to ask additional specific questions of Ramesh Raman on clean diesel construction and Patsy Matheny on treatment of environmental initiatives under community benefits guidelines.

Please RSVP by June 9, 2014 to Seth Johnson at sjohnson@elpc.org - staying for lunch and a working session, please let us know.

For additional information on:

• Clean Diesel Construction 

• Community Benefits: Healing Communities and the Environment

This event co-hosted by: