ABSTRACT
The health sector contributes a significant amount towards the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and bears all of the operational costs, including the significant cost of energy, offloading the cost into the public health arena and making it expensive to run many critical care devices. There are huge opportunities for the health sector to lower its carbon footprint, and consequently make healthcare more affordable, by introducing energy efficiency combined with decentralised reliable renewable energy. One of the most critical factors in the health eco-system that requires the need for large amounts of energy is the inefficiency of many medical appliances and energy processes in healthcare facilities. The combination of sustainable energy combined with the efficiencies of medical technologies and greener built environments can decrease the health sector’s climate footprint. The availability of sustainable energies especially for health in a decentralised mode also pushes innovations in healthcare technologies, increases the efficiencies of medical devices, introduces savings and thermal comforts in health centres through active and passive methods and gives rise to newer delivery models if implemented in a holistic manner. This chapter explores an ecosystem-driven approach towards implementing sustainable energy for the health sector.
