Role of Green Hospitals in Sustainable Construction: Benefits, Energy Management and Constraints

Healthcare system consume more energy and water resources in comparison to the other sectors. The consumption of energy is very high in healthcare sector because of the 24/7 continuous operations. The hospitals deploy heavy machinery which consumes high amount of electricity. Hence, to fulfill the demand of electricity, hospitals use diesel generators. This source of electricity generation is costly as well as non-eco-friendly source of electricity generation. It produces harmful gases (GHG). Simultaneously, hospitals also utilize high amount of water in different operations. Therefore, the consumption of water in hospitals is high in comparison to other commercial buildings. The consumption of energy and exploitation of other natural resources can be minimized in hospitals by using the concept of green buildings. Green buildings are ecofriendly buildings in terms of its structure, construction and functioning. Green hospitals are constructed in a way that uses the natural light and the techniques that does not pollute the environment. Therefore, the objective of the study is to highlight the importance of green building construction. The study also discusses the concept of green hospitals and promote public health and well being of the patients by providing the better working conditions to the healthcare workers.