By Brian Alessi

As health care organizations navigate an era of rapid innovation, environmental responsibility, and cost optimization, the adoption of all-electric building systems presents a transformative opportunity. Given their large footprints and 24/7 hours of operation, hospitals are large consumers of resources, including energy, water, and materials. This contributes to carbon emissions, the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and a major contributor to climate change. In fact, the American healthcare system is responsible for 10% of the country’s carbon emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Health care facilities are therefore uniquely positioned to lead on sustainability and positive health outcomes by transitioning away from carbon intensive fossil fuels like natural gas and coal and switching to electricity and renewable energy sources such as solar. This adjustment process is known as electrification. The electrification of the newly opened Prosser Memorial Health Hospital in Prosser, Washington, whose design team included my colleagues at Henderson Engineers, is a case study in the benefits of all-electric hospitals where financial, operational, and community health objectives can all align.
Pairing building electrification with long term electrical grid decarbonization
The 88,000 square foot Prosser Memorial Health Hospital is part of a $125 million development that also includes a 15,000 square foot medical office building and a 1,500 square foot maintenance support building. By adopting all-electric systems—fully relying on electricity rather than fossil fuels for heating, cooling, and other critical operations—the facility is significantly reducing its carbon emissions.

Naysayers may point out that the electric grid often sources energy from fossil fuels — true. However, 24 states and counting have ambitious clean energy goals on the books. Washington State aims to have 100% zero-emissions electricity by 2045, meaning that Prosser Memorial Health Hospital’s carbon emissions will significantly reduce over the next two decades. While some healthcare facilities will have to upgrade their systems to accommodate this cleaner future, all-electric facilities like Prosser Memorial Health Hospital have effectively future proofed themselves against these costly renovations, making a strong business case for electrification.

Alignment with institutional mission and patient expectations

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