BMC Recognized Nationally for Energy and Resource Conservation
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) was awarded the 2013 Partner for Change Award by Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading healthcare membership community, which empowers its members to increase efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care.
The award is one of the organization’s environmental excellence awards, given each year to honor outstanding environmental achievements in the healthcare sector.
BMC and its Green Team were recognized for the hospital’s commitment to incorporating green initiatives in construction projects, partnerships with local utilities to reduce energy consumption and costs, and services that recycle sharps and plastics and shred and recycle paper.
“As a result of our intensive focus on developing and implementing green initiatives throughout the continuum of service and care, Berkshire Health Systems has saved more than 1.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year, reducing its carbon footprint by 847 metric tons of carbon dioxide,” said Joseph LaRoche, director of Facilities and Construction Management for BHS. “We are very honored to be recognized by Practice Greenhealth, and this is a reflection of our Green Team’s consistent efforts to contributing to the improvement and preservation of this beautiful county we call home.”
The Partner for Change Award recognizes healthcare facilities that continuously improve and expand upon their mercury-elimination, waste-reduction, recycling, and source-reduction programs.
“This award proves that Berkshire Medical Center is committed to eliminating mercury, reducing waste, recycling, and preventing pollution, among other environmentally preferable practices,” said Laura Wenger, executive director of Practice Greenhealth.
The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards were presented in Boston at CleanMed, the premier national environmental conference for leaders in healthcare sustainability.
