Important COVID-19 information for our patients and visitors
including current restrictions and visiting times.

Important COVID-19 information for our patients and visitors
including current restrictions and visiting times.

Environmental Sustainability

As part of Northeast Health Wangaratta’s commitment to improving our environmental performance, our Environmental Sustainability Plan 2016 – 2018 has been updated and an Environmental Sustainability Committee established to support the initiatives to meet our key objectives and targets.

consumption & waste diagram

Within this plan we aim to:

  • Conserve energy
  • Conserve water and minimise wastewater disposal
  • Minimise and, where possible, eliminate the use of harmful substances
  • Ensure the correct and safe disposal of all substances
  • Minimise waste generation through reduction, reuse and recycling
  • Minimise pollution – noise, visual electromagnetic radiation, and odour
  • Address environmental concerns in all our planning and landscaping decisions
  • Encourage procurement procedures that adhere to the principles of our environmental policy

Completed initiatives- Energy, water and waste:

  • Insulation is now in the roof area of Day stay & CSD – assisting with improved temperature control
  • Reflective roof paint on main Ward block to assist in reducing the internal temperature over summer
  •  24hour, 7-day timers on the toilet exhaust fans in Margaret Boyd Education Centre and Community Care Centre as these buildings don’t operate 24/7
  •  LED corridor lighting and exit and emergency lights around Medical, Surgical, Thomas Hogan Rehabilitation and Maternity units
  •  LED exit and emergency lights in kitchen
  •  LED highbay (warehouse style) lighting in Supply Department. Also improved brightness of lighting in supply by 33%
  • LED external security lighting on WJ Smith building and in Dixon Street this allowed us to remove an electricity account with old inefficient lights saving over $1,600 per year in electricity costs
  • LED lighting in Docker Street staff car park which also improves security
  • Solar hot water system for Thomas Hogan Rehabilitation Centre. Another one is soon to be installed in Dental
  • Door seals to stop cold air drafts, which reduces air conditioning costs, in Volunteer and Creative Services and Medical Imaging Department.
  • LED office lighting in Facilities & Maintenance
  • All 680 odd halogen downlights replaced with LEDs
  • External lights along Green Street, Docker Street and front entrance are now LED
  • Reprogrammed the building management system to turn off more areas after hours when they are not in use. This included a more extensive switch off program over Christmas 2016 in Community Care Centre, the library, Facilities & Maintenance, Health Information Services, the Boardroom, Executive corridor and Education & Research Unit
  • Optimising the chiller sequencing to run out most efficient chiller (the power pax) first before the other two turn on
  • Automatic door closes on the Facilities & Maintenance office to reduce cold air drafts and air conditioning costs
  • New toilet in Volunteer & Creative Services that reduces water consumption
  • Stopped a major air leak in our medical breathing air system that was causing our medical air compressors to run more than required
  • Dyson air blade dryer in men’s toilet near supply – reducing paper use
  • Worked with Information Technology to shut some computers down when not in use
  • Printer toners and cartridge recycling program in place – avoiding disposal general waste destined for landfill
  • Battery recycling program in place – avoiding disposal general waste destined for landfill
  • Reusable coffee cup available for sale in the café – reducing disposable coffee cup use avoiding disposal general waste destined for landfill
  • Green Leaf Award – recognising NHW wards and departments efforts in sustainable practices
  • Established targets for reducing clinical and general waste streams and increasing recycling initiatives as part of the NHW Sustainability Plan – to be achieved by 2018
  • Reporting progress against targets to the Board of Management every quarter.

Future projects include- Energy, water and waste:

  • LED exit and emergency lighting in Nuclear Medicine
  • Reducing water use of the main dishwasher in the kitchen
  • More variable speed drives on our pumps and supply air fans
  • LED lighting in Illoura corridors (funded via a business case)
  • Regular features relating to sustainability to be included in the CEO Newsletter
  • Clear signage throughout the organisation to guide staff on the correct way to disposal of waste

Useful Links & Downloads

Contact

Kim Bennetts
Director, Support Services | Corporate Services
Phone: +61 (03) 5722 5655
Email: Kim.Bennetts@nhw.org.au

Northeast Health Wangaratta
35-47 Green Street, Wangaratta, Victoria 3677
PO BOX 386, Wangaratta Vic 3676