The Commonwealth Fund study refutes the belief that environmental sustainability measures increase operating costs, according to an article on the Wharton University of Pennsylvania website.

According to Kathy Gerwig, a vice president and environmental stewardship officer at Kaiser Permanente, the Commonwealth research, indicates that a program of energy conservation, reduced waste and more efficient purchasing could save the healthcare industry more than $15 billion over 10 years.

For instance, Gerwig said, healthcare institutions that reduce or redirect waste can get a quick payback.

Ensuring short-term savings is often key when arguing the business case for sustainability, according to Gary Cohen, co-founder and president of Health Care Without Harm.

"It’s far easier to get hospitals to invest in energy efficiency, with a return on investment of 18 months to three years, than renewable energy, with a return that can take seven years.”

Read the article.