3 Johns Hopkins-affiliated hospitals included on list of 50 greenest in U.S.

Three Johns Hopkins hospitals are included on a list of the 50 greenest hospitals in America for 2015 published by Becker's Hospital Review. The publication recognized hospitals that "have taken on the responsibility of being a beacon of health in their respective communities by reducing their environmental footprint."

The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was named for its eco-friendly improvements. The hospital installed LED lighting in 33 of its operating rooms, installed 65,000 square feet of green roofing, sold 2,000 reusable cups with free water refills, and segregated 13 separate waste streams for recycling, according to Becker's. Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment awarded Johns Hopkins Hospital an environmental "Trailblazer" award for its 2015 pilot program for bio-decontaminating more than $90,000 worth of supplies using vaporized hydrogen peroxide. The hospital also received the Greening the OR Circle of Excellence Award from Practice Greenhealth.

The Medical Pavilion at Johns Hopkins Howard County General Hospital in Columbia, the largest LEED-certified medical building in central Maryland, was also recognized by Becker's. The pavilion features an irrigation system that uses rainwater drainage to water plants, a white roof that reflects heat, recycled construction materials, and an HVAC system designed to conserve energy and improve indoor air quality. There is priority parking available for fuel-efficient cars in the parking lot, and the hospital participates in the six Healthier Hospitals Initiative Challenges.

Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., is a 318-bed community hospital with a LEED-Gold certified radiation oncology center. The hospital regularly participates in all six Healthier Hospital Initiative Challenges and was the 2013 recipient of the District of Columbia Hospital Association's Environmental Excellence Award. A patient pavilion is in the works that will meet LEED certification standards, Becker's wrote.

The list was compiled by researching and analyzing sustainability information from sources like Practice Greenhealth, the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Hospitals were scored in 10 categories: leadership, waste reduction, chemical reduction, greening the operating room, sustainable food services, environmentally preferable purchasing, energy efficiency, water conservation, tracking and measuring greenhouse gas emissions, and green building achievements.