SNF Management and its Windsor Healthcare Facilities Adopts Comprehensive Sustainability Plan

SNF Management and its Windsor Healthcare Facilities Adopts Comprehensive Sustainability Plan

April 22, 2008

(West Hollywood, CA.) On the eve of Earth Day, SNF Management, West Hollywood is announcing its adoption of a comprehensive Corporate Sustainability Plan designed to make significant contributions to energy conservation, resource management, and environmental awareness – as well as to education and research – in the Winsor Healthcare Facilities and beyond.

The plan has been formally approved by the COO Lawrence Feigen, who, in an e-mail message to the SNF community issued today, said the SNF Sustainability Plan "will serve as both the long-term vision and a blueprint for our company's sustainability efforts." The plan's mission statement says that SNF "is committed to global leadership for sustainability through education, research, and action."
Developed as a "living document" that will be updated on a regular basis, the plan was drafted by the Green Team Committee's on Sustainability, chaired by Aruna Poddatoori, Sr. VP of Operations. The group worked in consultation with a broad-based coalition of some Energy experts. "Our staff has made an enormous contribution in raising awareness of the importance of sustainability in our own Healthcare Facilities as well as in the entire corporate structure and the broader community," 
SNF has adopted a Green Building Policy and committed to constructing and operating both new and existing buildings to meet very high sustainability standards. In addition, the Windsor's proposed new Long Range Development Plan embraces sustainability, incorporating green building practices, the use of sustainable materials, water reuse, alternative transportation, energy efficiency, and other actions.
Illustrating how the SNF is committed to being a living example of the principles of sustainability, the Windsor Healthcare Sustainability Plan provides a roadmap for major steps toward achieving sustainability over the next 20 years. It identifies nine functional areas and proposes recommendations, goals, objectives, and benchmarks for each at varying points over the next two decades. The plan's vision includes the development and utilization of emerging technologies while balancing economics with social and environmental impacts.
The goals articulated in the SNF plan are interconnected and consistent with the State of California system wide sustainability goals as stated in the SNF Green Building and Clean Energy Policy. According to the plan's Executive Summary, SNF is positioned both within the Healthcare system and nationally to take a leadership role in the integration of sustainability into better environment via implementation of conservation, discovery, and operations. In addition to the "greening" of Windsor Healthcare structures, SNF already has made significant strides in adopting sustainable practices in several other areas, including purchasing, facility maintenance, and accountability for overall greenhouse gas emissions.
The sustainability plan provides a clear linkage between SNF operations and the experience of Windsor Healthcare tradition, as well as corporate research and community stewardship.
The sustainability plan's stated goals and objectives over the next 20 years, by area of activity, are as follows:
Research and Developments: Promote education and research on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of sustainability by building community, corporate structure, and staff awareness.
Built Environment: Create superior places to work and live that enhance the health and performance of building occupants through sustainable planning, design, construction, operations, retrofits and efficiency implementation.
Energy: Strive to be a climate neutral healthcare facility through energy efficiency, conservation, on-site generation and strategic procurement of clean and renewable energy.
Food: Strive to develop a local and organic closed-loop food system by observing sustainability criteria for all food purchasing, preparation and service, cleaning, waste disposal, and purchase of equipment and supplies.
Landscape/Biotic Environment: Protect and maintain the natural healthcare environment through restoration, preservation, and education while enhancing the facility as a model of healthcare. This includes recreational areas, building landscapes and native habitat.
Procurement: Employ efficient procurement strategies, processes, and systems for the acquisition and responsible use of resources in a manner that supports a "triple bottom line" of economy, society, and environment.
Transportation: Develop transportation strategies that reduce fuel use, air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions while providing opportunities for alternative transportation including bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
Waste: Reduce and ultimately eliminate waste streams in the healthcare facilities with the ultimate goal of a net zero waste healthcare structures through implementation of "cradle to cradle" processes and practices.
Water: Reduce potable water use while protecting and conserving all water resources within the healthcare facilities watershed through implementation of efficiency measures, collection technologies, re-processing and re-use.
Implementation of the plan is the responsibility of YJay Draiman, Director of Utilities and Energy efficiency leader.
The Green Team Committee for Sustainability – will advise and make recommendations on sustainability initiatives, help prioritize and monitor SNF sustainability goals, set funding priorities, and provide guidance on sustainability issues and questions, among other things.
"The SNF Sustainability Plan is a truly collaborative endeavor," said YJay Draiman, "and an exciting milestone in our continuing efforts to create a more sustainable future for the Windsor Healthcare Facilities."