Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford each received an Environmental Excellence Award from Practice Greenhealth, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainability in the health care industry.

2020 is the fourth consecutive year Stanford Health Care has received this award, demonstrating its commitment to continuously improving the environmental impact of operations. 

“We are excited to receive this honor and pleased to be recognized for our sustainable practices,” said Terry Duffina, director of sustainability for Stanford Health Care. “Even so, we’re dedicated to improving on the success we’ve already achieved.”

Stanford Health Care received a Partner for Change Award for its performance in waste reduction, chemically safe furniture purchases and renewable energy. In 2019, the anesthesiology department nearly eliminated desflurane, which has a global warming potential more than 2,000 times that of carbon dioxide. In addition, the new Stanford Hospital was constructed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED silver standards. 

Packard Children’s Hospital received a Partner Recognition Award in honor of its commitment to environmental improvements and its progress toward waste reduction, renewable energy and other eco-friendly practices. The pediatric and obstetric hospital was the second in the world to receive LEED platinum status, the highest honor from the U.S. Green Building Council, after its new main building opened in 2017. More than 28% of the building material was recycled material; other sustainable design features include louvers outside its windows that limit sunlight entering the hospital, reducing the need for air conditioning, and energy-efficient and low-water-use appliances. 

Practice Greenhealth is a nonprofit membership organization that promotes environmental sustainability in the health care industry.