Dentists need to take a closer look at potential hazards of exposing patients to zinc, a common ingredient of many dental products, according to a report by Amar Patel, DDS, resident and colleagues at the University of Maryland Dental School in the March/April 2011 issue of the journal General Dentistry.

About eight years ago, attorney and eco entrepreneur Ina Pockrass and her husband, Fred, a dentist, opened what came to be described as the first green dental practice in the U.S.

Through their business in Berkeley, Calif., the Transcendentist, they pioneered practices that have become a comprehensive model for environmentally responsible dentistry. The concept has been a hit with patients from the onset, though some professionals have had a hard time wrapping their heads around the idea.

They are accepting proposals for two specific series:

• Greening Operations Series
• Green Design & Construction Series

Webinar Details:

• All webinars are 90 minutes including Q&A.
• Webinars will typically offer CEUs from a combination of AIA, ACHE and USGBC.
• Webinars are typically held on Wednesdays at 2:00PM EST

Deadline for submitting a proposal: October 30, 2010.

The Commercial Buildings Group at NREL developed this Technical Support Document under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program. It documents the technical analysis performed and the resulting design guidance that will enable large hospitals to achieve whole-building energy savings of at least 50% over ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004. This report also documents in detail the modeling methods used to demonstrate that the design recommendations meet or exceed the 50% energy savings goal.

EPA expects to propose a rule next year and finalize it in 2012. Dental offices will be able to use existing technology to meet the proposed requirements. Amalgam separators can separate out 95 percent of the mercury normally discharged to the local waste treatment plant. The separator captures the mercury, which is then recycled and reused.

Until the rule is final, EPA encourages dental offices to voluntarily install amalgam separators. Twelve states and several municipalities already require the installation of amalgam separators in dental offices.

Approximately 50 percent of mercury entering local waste treatment plants comes from dental amalgam waste. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change elemental mercury into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish.

Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans. Methylmercury can damage children’s developing brains and nervous systems even before they are born.

• More information on mercury from dental offices: water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/dental/index.cfm
• More information on mercury and the environment: www.epa.gov/mercury/index.html

Please click the link below to register for this 90-min session and view information.  Once you have registered online, you will receive an email message confirming your registration. This message will provide the information that you need to join the session.

https://energystar.webex.com/energystar/k2/j.php?ED=142561857&UID=1154352142&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D&FM=1
Session Number: 716 896 174    (This session does not require a registration password.)

TOPIC OVERVIEW
Over 3,000 hospitals have used EPA’s Portfolio Manager to rate energy performance, manage energy and water consumption, and track carbon emissions, making it the most widely used performance tool of its kind in the industry.

The algorithm used to create the acute care hospital ratings is based on hospital energy data that was collected in 1997. While this was the largest publicly available dataset on hospital energy use at the time, EPA is becoming concerned that it may be out of date. In order to protect the credibility of the ENERGY STAR brand, EPA may consider discontinuing the hospital rating if new data cannot be collected.

EPA began collaborating with the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) on a new expanded energy survey to avoid this outcome. GGHC invites you to participate in ASHE’s energy survey to help save and improve the only publicly available, free-of-charge, national energy performance rating system for hospitals.

New ENERGY STAR scores will be more accurate, provide greater value for investment decisions, and better reflect the latest trends in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.  But before that can happen, ASHE needs your data!  All surveys shared by ASHE to the EPA will be anonymous.   ASHE has extended the survey deadline to September 17.  You do not need to be a member of ASHE to participate. The survey can be downloaded at http://www.ashe.org/ashe/facilities/energysurvey.html.   EPA is offering the Green Guide community a special webinar to learn how you can participate in this critical energy survey.

Hospitals are receiving much needed energy-efficiency upgrades thanks in part to special funding and grants designed to defray some of the costs. These upgrades can also lead to lower emissions, which is a significant related benefit considering that the U.S. healthcare sector accounts for 8 percent of the country’s carbon-dioxide emissions, according to a recent report.

Benefits of participation include recognition on the Green Guide website as an early adopter, a leadership role in shaping new tool development, and enhanced access to professional services. The Operations Pilot program is designed to track real-time facility implementation and obtain quantifiable feedback. Participation may be confidential upon request.

Since our recent announcement, we have received an overwhelming number of responses from individual professionals (e.g. architects, engineers, clinicians, managers) as well as from hospitals and clinics of all sizes and types. Our Expression of Interest form is free, should take about 5 minutes to complete, and is non-binding until registration occurs. This form allows the Green Guide Operations Pilot core team to select a representative group of participants, based on diversity in geographic location, facility size, type, and selected credit sections of the Green Guide v2 Revised Operations toolkit.

Background information about the 2010 Operations Pilot program is summarized below.

• Who is eligible to be a Green Guide Operations Pilot project? Each Pilot refers to a built healthcare facility. The Pilot project team can include architects, engineers, employees, consultants, care providers, and others – up to 15 members total.
• If I am not a hospital, can I still participate in the Green Guide Operations Pilot project? Yes. If you are part of a team involved with hospital operations, and your hospital agrees to be a Pilot project, then you may participate in the Pilot. Create a team!
• Does sending in the Expression of Interest form commit me or my facility to the year-long Pilot? No. This form allows the Green Guide Operations Pilot core team to select a representative group of participants, based on diversity in geographic location, facility size, type, and selected credit sections within the v2 Green Guide Revised Operations section.
• Does my hospital facility have to pursue credits in ALL sections of the Green Guide Operations to be eligible for Pilot participation? No. We recognize that some hospitals will prefer to focus on one or more areas of the Green Guide Operations. By design, the Operations Pilot allows you to select and shift amongst your areas of interest during the course of the one-year Pilot.
• How will a hospital (or team members) participate during the Operations Pilot? Each facility will complete the initial online Operations Checklist to establish a baseline, identify Green Operations goals, and report back periodic progress in achieving those goals. Pilots will be expected to participate in regular teleconferences and opportunities for peer-to-peer sharing of best practices, access to industry experts, and aggregated performance data summaries. This information will be available to all team members.
• What is the fee to participate in this Pilot, and are any discounts available? Each participating Pilot facility will pay a one-time registration fee of USD$750. The fee can be shared among the team members. A limited number of scholarships will also be available for qualified pilots. Practice Greenhealth hospital members are eligible for a 20% discounted fee of USD$600.
• What is the Green Guide 2010 Operations Pilot Project process and estimated timeline? The one-year Pilot will be launched in early 2010. From November 2009 – February 15, 2010, we will accept applications. The selected Pilots will be notified in February 2010. Pilot activities will begin in March 2010 and continue through February 2011.
• What if I have additional questions about the Operations Pilot program? Contact Ms. Kumkum Dilwali, the 2010 Operations Pilot Project Manager at info@gghc.org.

What does the U.S. health care system have in common with cattle farms and power plants? It is responsible for a fair chunk of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. The system, especially via hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry, contributes 8 percent of those climate-warming gases, according to a study published in the November 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Green healthcare design promotes a healing environment through natural daylight, improved ventilation, better indoor air quality, outdoor views, healing gardens, efficient lighting, low-impact materials and furnishings, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Learn how Building Teams are incorporating these concepts into the design of three major hospitals in San Francisco, all tracking to achieve LEED-NC Gold:

• A 555-bed nonprofit, California Pacific Medical Center Hospital at Cathedral Hill
• A 289-bed university teaching facility, UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay
• A 284-bed public institution, San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, owned by the City and County of San Francisco