Healthcare buildings perform a critical role in communities around the world. But their facilities are also among the most carbon intensive in terms of their operation and construction, and indirectly via the wider healthcare supply chain. 

Overall, the healthcare sector is responsible for almost 5% of global carbon emissions. There is an urgent need to reduce this contribution and align it with the target of net-zero emissions – the globally agreed goal that we must meet to limit the average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. 

Against this backdrop, WSP has assessed how nine very different healthcare systems, on six continents, are embarking on their decarbonization journeys. This white paper details their progress, looking at the strategies and solutions being adopted, as well as aspirations for the future, within the context of their political, economic and environmental landscapes. 

The nine healthcare systems covered were Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. By looking at these systems and the steps that they have taken to decarbonize, it is clear that the global health sector is keen to play its part – even if the approaches adopted by each system may look different.

Decarbonizing healthcare white paper – key takeaways: 

• Summary of each healthcare system’s net-zero commitments 
• Decarbonization strategies of each system, the challenges they face, and the solutions being deployed  
• How the digital transformation of healthcare is supporting the sector’s transition to net-zero  
• Importance of appraising the emissions of healthcare facilities over their whole life-cycle 
• Different strategies being taken to become energy self-sufficient 
• The challenges and opportunities of different funding routes 
• Co-benefits of decarbonization in terms of influencing scope 3 emissions and creating healthier, more resilient facilities 
• The opportunity for a global healthcare decarbonization framework to inform decision making on policies, processes and technologies