Cleaner air, healthier hospitals: Implementing the UK's Clean Air Hospital Framework

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Healthcare Sustainability
• Air Quality Management

Background:

• National healthcare services are significant contributors to air pollution and greenhouse gases.
• Hospitals, with vulnerable populations and urban locations, face high exposure to ambient pollutants.
• There is a critical need for hospitals to reduce airborne pollutant emissions and achieve net zero targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the initial implementation of the UK's Clean Air Hospital Framework (CAHF) at two major hospitals.
• To assess the effectiveness of CAHF as a tool for reducing hospital-generated air pollution.
• To provide a blueprint for other hospitals to adopt similar emission reduction strategies.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the Clean Air Hospital Framework (CAHF), a self-assessment tool with 215 compliance actions across seven categories.
• Focus on sustainable travel, energy efficiency, green procurement, and infrastructure design.
• Establishment of a monitoring network including NO2 diffusion tubes, continuous NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 monitors, and indoor particulate matter monitors.
• Development of an ADMS-Urban dispersion model to assess site-specific emissions.

Main Results:

• Hospitals are over halfway to achieving their CAHF implementation goals.
• The study demonstrates an evidence-based approach to reducing hospital air pollution.
• The framework addresses key areas including travel, procurement, energy, and infrastructure.

Conclusions:

• The Clean Air Hospital Framework (CAHF) provides a practical and effective method for hospitals to reduce their environmental impact.
• The implemented strategies show significant progress towards emission reduction and net zero goals.
• This study serves as a model for other healthcare institutions aiming to improve air quality and sustainability.