Present and Future of Green Hospitals in Korea

This study purports to investigate the status quo of the environmentally-friendly green healthcare in teaching hospitals through the questionnaire survey. Data were collected from a total of 46 hospitals. The survey results revealed that most teaching hospitals did not meet the global standard of environmentally-friendly green hospitals. Especially, such items as alternative energy system, water recycling, CO2 emission reduction, green building construction, installation of pond or spring were found to be significantly below global standard. Based upon the study results, various strategies for establishing green hospitals were discussed. For example, energy saving design, such as solar heating, natural wind cooling, automatic temperature controller, green material use, wall surrounded by ivy, were recommended. In conclusion, the strategy and evaluation tool developed in the study will provide a good guide for establishing environmentally-friendly green hospitals.