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Abu Dhabi has an opportunity to play a leading role in developing environmentally-friendly healthcare practices that could have an international impact, according to experts speaking at a talk in the emirate.
Globally, the healthcare sector is interconnected with a range of industrial processes that produce emissions and can potentially damage the environment. Concerted efforts to improve the environmental performance of healthcare could help reduce waste, deliver energy and water savings, and reduce the impact of pollution on public health. These efforts include reducing the use of environmentally harmful chemicals and driving efficiencies in operations that are required to operate around the clock.
Organized by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, in association with the Emirates Green Building Council, the event examined a range of programs currently being developed in the UAE. It included contributions from the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport, Masdar and the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, presenting the agencies’ initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the emirate.
As host venue, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is helping to drive sustainability standards for the healthcare sector in the UAE. This month, the hospital received the “Green Commercial Building of the Year” award at the 2017 MENA Green Building Awards. The hospital employs measures to reduce its energy consumption and, in 2017, aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 21% by improving its water, energy and cooling efficiency among other areas.
During the talk, experts from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi presented their Alternative Commuting Transportation strategy. The hospital has installed six charging stations for electric vehicles on its campus, encouraging the use of low or zero emission vehicles by its staff and visitors.
In addition, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has reserved 153 carpool and low emission vehicle bays to encourage more car sharing between employees. In 2016, the hospital’s carpooling initiative has saved around 1.8 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions. As cities around the world move to shift commuters away from cars and towards a more sustainable transport mix, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is encouraging staff to use bikes during the cooler months, providing 200 bicycle racks in its car park.
Speakers from Masdar, the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport and the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi discussed the future of public transport and transportation system design for sustainable cities, presenting a higher-level view of how cities can work with partners to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and alleviate congestion. The event also highlighted Abu Dhabi’s efforts to accelerate electric vehicle adoption.
Future installments of the sustainability talk series will focus on topics including the nexus between energy, water and well-being in the city, as well as building design, operation and urban planning. The series reflects Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of the local population beyond healthcare.
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