University of CaliforniaSan Francisco Health

A medical director of sustainability was hired into a newly created position, and two new sustainability analysts were brought on board by the health system to support the work of the sustainability officer and sustainability director.

Together, they worked on a $50,000 UCSF Caring Wisely grant, eliminating the use of the gas with the highest global warming potential and reducing the inhaled anesthetics fresh gas flow rate, resulting in about a 15% reduction in scope 1 emissions. On the waste front, they conducted over 200 internal waste audits and held several electronic waste collection events, gathering over 6,000 pounds of e-waste. 

COVID-19 impacted fiscal year 2020–21 sustainability performance at UCSF Health in uneven ways. For example, despite UCSF Health’s switch to washable isolation gowns, total waste rose due to the volume of waste from single-use personal protective equipment. On the climate and energy front, with pandemic-related delays in energy efficiency projects, UCSF Health reduced its energy use intensity by only 1%, falling short of the targeted 2% reduction. On the other hand, due to the adoption of telehealth, 22,000 tons of CO₂e from patient travel emissions were eliminated. UCSF also purchased carbon-free electricity, provided by UC’s Clean Power program, for many of its buildings, including the Mission Bay hospitals. Additionally, UCSF Health increased its own production of clean energy by installing a 250-kilowatt solar array on the Gateway Clinic Building at Mission Bay.