CARBON NEUTRAL
several initiatives (Fig 2) have been implemented in selected facilities as trial locations to assist MoH in developing expertise and understanding the prerequisites for success. These initiatives were part of a Sustainability Program (SP) embedded within government hospital Facility Management Contract since 2015 that would spur carbon neutrality in healthcare facilities. The SP program included Green Building initiatives, energy management, indoor air quality and 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) program. The achievements observed in these trial facilities have inspired the organisation to persist, broaden, and reinforce the transition. The promising outcomes from these initial endeavours led to establish a robust basis for expanding the intervention throughout the healthcare system, ultimately aiming to achieve carbon neutrality within healthcare facilities. Achieving the vision of carbon-neutral
healthcare facilities in the future demands a comprehensive strategy across all MoH healthcare facilities. Hence, the Carbon Neutral Healthcare Facilities Blueprint (CNHFB) is crafted with the overarching objective of determining the most effective and ideal mitigation plan for MoH healthcare facilities. It also aligns with the government’s ambition to transform into a carbon-neutral nation by 2050. The CNHFB outlines ideas on how the health care sector can reduce it carbon footprint and have identified key focus areas as well as green strategies of healthcare carbon emissions reductions. Table 1 outlines the six strategic actions approach towards
Figure 3. Pathways and actions necessary to accomplish a bold carbon reduction goal by 2050 (MoH, 2023).
Malaysian carbon neutral healthcare facilities.
CNHFB: Four focus areas The MoH has outlined the pathways and actions necessary to accomplish a bold carbon reduction goal by 2050. These consist of four focal areas, each delineating main strategies and action plans as shown in Figure 3. The low carbon healthcare facility blueprint emphasises several key strategies aimed at reducing carbon
emissions and promoting sustainability. These strategies, along with their associated action plans, play a crucial role in guiding the transformation of healthcare facilities towards low carbon and sustainable operations. These strategies include:
l Government Green Procurement (GGP): Implementing procurement practices that prioritise environmentally friendly products and services.
l Green technology and smart system retrofits: upgrading healthcare facilities with green technologies and smart systems to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.
l Zero waste management adoption: implementing comprehensive waste management practices to minimise waste generation and maximise recycling and reuse.
l Embracing circular economy and bioproducts: promoting the adoption of circular economy principles and utilising bioproducts to reduce resource consumption and waste generation.
l Adoption of waste-to-energy technology: implementing technologies that convert waste into energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate environmental impact.
l Integration of energy recovery systems: installing systems that recover and reuse energy from various processes to improve overall energy efficiency.
l Low carbon mobility: promoting the use of electric vehicles and developing infrastructure to support their adoption in healthcare facilities.
l Application of biophilic design elements: incorporating elements such
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