GREEN HOSPITALS: ‘’WHO’’ PRINCIPLES AND ‘’3R’’ STRATEGIES

Hospitals, characterized by

high levels of energy and resource consumption, constitute critical building

types in terms of sustainability due to their significant environmental

impacts. In this context, the green hospital approach has been developed,

grounded in principles such as energy and water efficiency, waste management,

the use of environmentally friendly materials, and design strategies that are

compatible with natural systems. The strategies shaped in line with the seven

core principles defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) play a crucial

role in ensuring sustainability in healthcare facilities. The green approach in

hospitals encompasses solutions that support sustainability in buildings

through energy efficiency, nature-compatible design, smart and adaptive

systems, effective waste and water management, the use of alternative energy

sources, and the preference for natural, recycled, and low-emission materials.

Accordingly, this study aims to draw attention to green strategies implemented

in healthcare facilities and to discuss the 3R principles adopted within these

practices. Within the scope of the study, examples of green hospital applications

from various hospitals located in different countries were examined using a

qualitative research method, based on the seven fundamental principles

identified by the WHO. The findings demonstrate that when the green hospital

strategies defined by the World Health Organization are considered together

with the 3R principles (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), they provide a robust and

comprehensive framework for achieving sustainability in healthcare buildings. The

results indicate that hospitals are not only facilities for healthcare service

delivery but also critical infrastructures whose environmental impacts must be

reduced due to their high levels of resource consumption. In the examined

cases, practices based on reduction, reuse, and recycling contribute

significantly to limiting environmental impacts within the healthcare sector.

Consequently, the integrated implementation of WHO principles and the 3R

approach is regarded as a fundamental requirement for establishing a

sustainable healthcare infrastructure that simultaneously addresses

environmental responsibility, economic efficiency, and the quality of

healthcare services. The wider adoption of this approach, particularly in

developing countries, has the potential to strengthen the role of the healthcare

sector in combating climate change.<o:p></o:p>