Making the community healthier is in the DNA of one Northern California not-for-profit healthcare network.

For years, Sutter Health has worked to foster a healthier environment. From combating food waste to using green construction techniques to turning to solar energy, teams across Sutter find and implement eco-friendly practices that nurture local communities.

One Program, Many Benefits
Sutter puts its values into action by leveraging innovation to not only reduce its environmental footprint, but to help feed community members in need. Food service employees at 16 Sutter hospitals and care facilities use a zero waste and hunger technology platform that allows them to measure and prevent food waste while seamlessly donating all unsold or unserved edible excess food. In 13 months since launching in January 2020, the pilot program has already helped reduce carbon emissions by 383,000 pounds and saved 31,900,000 gallons of water. The program has also reduced food waste and fed the hungry by making it possible to donate 87,400 pounds of food –the equivalent of 72,800 meals— to nonprofits including the Sacramento Salvation Army, Haven Women’s Shelter of Stanislaus, the Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program and Love a Child Missions in Pittsburg.

Sutter Delta Medical Center’s assistant administrator Tim Bouslog said, “We’ve always had an interest in sustainability at our hospital, and the positive impact on the Delta community during these difficult times makes this a great step forward.”

“We are humbled to be able to support our community, as well as help preserve our environment in the same process,” said Maria Lewis, director of Food and Nutrition Services at Sutter’s Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley.

Read more about the food waste reduction program here.

Improving Energy Use and Fostering a Healthier Environment

Another way Sutter is fostering a healthier environment is by working to improve energy use at many care centers and facilities. In fact, the American Society for Healthcare Engineers recently recognized 22 Sutter facilities with the Energy to Care Award. Recipients of the award reduced energy consumption by at least 10% in a single year or more than 15% in two years.

“Our facilities management team has been instrumental in making our existing buildings more energy efficient and finding sources of renewable energy,” said Bob Mitsch, vice president of Facility & Property Services for Sutter Health. “I am so proud that many of our facilities and care centers have accomplished significant energy savings and contributed to our values of teamwork and affordability.”

Sutter earned the Energy to Care accolade by:

• Considering green design and sustainability options while planning new hospitals and care centers. Sutter partners with designers to find solutions to improve energy consumption. The LEED Silver-certified Van Ness Campus of Sutter’s California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) is one award-winning example of the integrated healthcare network’s efforts to employ green design and sustainability. Read more.
• Improving efficiency of existing buildings’ equipment and systems such as lighting and heating/cooling through a Retro Commissioning Program.
• Installing solar arrays to improve public health by reducing emissions. Solar panels installed in a pilot launched in 2017 provide shade and improved lighting for patients and employees in parking areas at six campuses and reduce electricity costs by $680,000 per year. These first installations have offset from 40-80% of the electricity used at each campus with clean, renewable energy generated onsite. The pilot project has produced about 13,000,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, which represents 3% of all electricity purchased from utilities. The project has also reduced carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 1,212 tons per year. One terrific example of the solar array installation program is at LEED Gold-certified Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital. Read about the hospital’s successful solar installation.

Sutter is now working to expand the solar array program to many more locations.

Learn more about Sutter’s sustainability efforts here.