Case Studies

Oakwell
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Case Studies

Case Study: Boston Medical Center Reduction in Consumption and Emissions as Patient Volumes Rise

Changes To Energy Consumption, Physical Footprint & Environmental Impact Since 2011

Hospitals are a critical component of every community, and they have significant water use impacts. Facilities management and sustainable resource use in healthcare go beyond just energy efficiency; optimizing water usage is central to achieving true, long-term sustainability.

Boston Medical Center’s Energy Costs and Square Footage,
2011–2030

BMC’s projected energy savings, 2011-2030:

Totals more than $150 million
Equivalent to more than $3.0 billion of revenue

Graph that shows Boston Medical Center’s Energy Costs and Square Footage, 2011–2030

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Graph that shows Boston Medical Center’s Carbon Emissions, 2011–2022

Note: BMC projected a 3 percent growth in energy costs in 2019 if it had not reduced its campus’ square footage or implemented any other efficiencies. BMC’s square footage has grown somewhat in recent years, along with energy costs, to accommodate growth in patient volume.

Data: Presentation by Robert Biggio of Boston Medical Center at the Sustainability in Healthcare Hackathon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Apr. 21, 2023.

Source: Martha Hostetter and Sarah Klein, Greening the Health Care Safety Net: How Boston Medical Center Reduced Its Carbon Footprint Without Compromising Patient Care (Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 2023). https://doi.org/10.26099/0na0-8v90

Boston Medical Center’s Carbon Emissions, 2011–2022

Scope 1 and 2
Carbon Emissions

2012-22 Energy efficiency projects
2016 Solar PPA with MIT
2016 Vicinity green steam

20126 Cogen plant 2019 Campus consolidation 2020 COVID-19

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Note: The reduction in BMC’s carbon emissions in 2016 came from the solar power purchasing agreement (about 66% of the drop), use of green steam (about 20%), and reductions in emissions from electrical use (about 13%). Greenhouse gas emissions are collectively measured as MTCDE.

Data: Presentation by Robert Biggio of Boston Medical Center at the Sustainability in Healthcare Hackathon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Apr. 21, 2023.

Case Studies

Case Study: Boston Medical Center Reduction in Consumption and Emissions as Patient Volumes Rise

2010-2011

2018

Square Footage

2011-Present

Electric Consumption

2015-2016

Steam Consumption

2016-2019

Carbon Emissions

Boston Medical Center’s Energy Costs and Square Footage, 2011–2030

2,310,982

2,310,982

2,310,982

2,271,382

2,271,382

2,302,762

2,379,676

2,409,676

2,030,841

2,065,841

2,092,841

2,152,841

2,206,841

2,224,841

2,224,841

2,224,841

2,224,841

2,224,841

2,224,841

2,224,841

$16,240,713

$16,240,713

$15,619,462

$14,924,433

$15,390,586

$16,237,863

$16,627,095

$14,647,017

$13,546,511

$11,385,592

$10,717,814

$11,171,872

$11,033,211

$12,514,827

$12,890,272

$13,276,980

$13,675,289

$14,085,548

$14,508,114

$14,943,358

$15,391,659

$16,240,713

$16,727,934

$17,229,772

$17,746,665

$18,279,065

$18,827,437

$19,392,260

$19,974,028

$20,573,249

$21,190,446

$21,826,160

$22,480,945

$23,155,373

$23,850,034

$24,565,535

$25,302,501

$26,061,576

$26,843,424

$27,648,726

$28,478,188

Boston Medical Center’s Carbon Emissions, 2011–2022

40,466

34,400

34,395

34,329

36,493

25,813

Boston Medical Center’s Energy Costs and Square Footage,
2011–2030