UVM Health is committed to reducing our impact on the environment through green building standards, sustainable operations, waste management, nutrition and more.
Building a Healthier Future
As a national leader in sustainability, we believe caring for our patients means caring for the world around them. From the buildings we design to the food we serve, our sustainability efforts help us deliver better care, reduce costs and protect the environment for future generations.
Why Sustainability Matters
- Better for Patients: When we reduce waste and use safer materials, we create healthier spaces for our patients and staff. For example, switching to a more efficient delivery system for anesthesia gases improves air quality and supports patient recovery.
- Lower Costs, Better Care: When we save energy, reduce waste and reuse supplies, we cut costs. These savings help us keep care more affordable and invest in what matters most — our patients.
- Stronger Communities: As one of the largest employers in our region, we have a responsibility to lead by example. Our choices affect the air we breathe, the water we drink and the land we share.
- Ready for the Future: Climate change brings new challenges. We’re working to make our hospitals and clinics more resilient — so we can keep caring for our communities, even during extreme weather or emergencies.
What We're Doing
At UVM Health, we’re working to reduce our carbon footprint and build a more sustainable future. Here are some of the ways we’re making a difference — for our patients, our communities and the environment.
UVM Health strives to meet LEED construction standards for all new buildings and renovations and is currently home to six LEED-certified buildings. In addition to energy and water efficiency and the use of safer, more sustainable materials, this also results in more comfortable buildings for patients and reduces the environmental impact of our facilities.
UVM Health aims to reduce our total carbon emissions by minimizing waste across our hospitals, investing in renewable energy sources and incentives to save both energy and money.
In 2024, UVM Medical Center received the Greenhealth Emerald Award, which recognizes health care organizations for advanced sustainability programs, commitment to reducing environmental impacts and integration of sustainability into operations and organizational culture.
UVM Medical Center has also been recognized as one of the top 10 hospitals nationwide for water conservation and efficiency by the Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards. The hospital has implemented a system to monitor water use, allowing the facilities team to track usage rates, pinpoint water leaks and identify opportunities to improve conservation efforts.
UVM Health is working to procure and implement sustainable alternatives to many of the products currently used in our hospitals, including environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and hygiene products and recycled paper products.
UVM Health is committed to finding ways to reduce and manage waste across all our operations. We are implementing recycling and composting programs wherever possible and are exploring more sustainable ways to dispose of hazardous waste, pharmaceutical products and electronics.
A major initiative is “Greening the Operating Room,” which primarily focuses on reducing waste produced by surgical services through resource management and recycling programs.
UVM Medical Center has reimagined how to provide nitrous oxide (a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions) in the OR. The hospital replaced a large storage tank from the OR with small tanks directly in the OR, reducing loss and emissions. Staff continue to work in partnership with manufacturers to redesign carbon dioxide canisters, with the goal of further reducing emissions.
UVM Medical Center and Porter Medical Center have both implemented robust recycling programs for blue wrap (the plastic fabric that encases surgical supplies) and a single-use medical device reprocessing and sterilization program that makes it possible for providers to reuse certain types of medical equipment.
UVM Health has been a longtime champion of local and sustainable food. Through composting initiatives and donations to local organizations, our hospitals have diverted an estimated 228.49 tons of food waste from landfills in 2024.
We are committed to making green transportation accessible to all UVM Health patients, visitors, providers and staff. We completed an inventory of all vehicles across UVM Health and have a goal of decarbonizing the fleet by replacing vehicles at end of life with hybrid or electric vehicles. We are also working to install electric vehicle chargers at all hospitals.
Remote work and digital health also play a significant role in helping us reduce carbon emissions by giving employees and patients the opportunity to work or receive care from home instead of driving to a physical location.
Many of our hospitals have established alternative transportation programs for employees, including incentives for walking or biking to work, discounted public transportation tickets and carpooling opportunities.
Sustainability Strategic Plan
The Sustainability Strategy charts UVM Health’s path toward achieving key organizational sustainability goals. By preserving natural resources, we strengthen our commitment to a healthier community for generations to come.
