A recent study by Cornell researchers shows the need to accelerate the sustainability movement in healthcare facilities, according to an article on the Cornell University website.

“Historic data shows that current trends in energy consumption indicate a need to accelerate the sustainability movement in healthcare,” said Rana Zadeh, assistant professor of design and environmental analysis, and co-director of Cornell’s Health Design Innovations Lab. 

In their study in the journal Facilities, Zadeh and her colleagues reported barriers to sustainable health care design and construction: cost, institutional perceptions, policy uncertainty, healthcare system complexity, and the nature of healthcare functions and practices, the article said.

The study also recommends using sustainability for market differentiation; trying inexpensive sustainable efforts first and approaching sustainability from the aspect of human health.

Read the article.