Hyderabad: Large hospitals account for more than half of the Indian health sector’s energy-related emissions, according to a 2023 study by the National Centre for Disease Control.
To mitigate the situation, hospitals across the country are turning to decarbonisation, installing energy-efficient equipment, adding solar power and adopting building designs that cut their environmental impact.
Climate Prescriptions is a series of case studies and research that sheds light on Indian healthcare sector solutions for decarbonisation and climate resilience. This series is an initiative of the Public Health Foundation of India.
Climate Prescriptions documents 10 case studies of decarbonisation efforts by Indian hospitals, six are yet to be published.
Here’s a look at what’s been covered so far by the research.
Understanding emissions by healthcare sector country-wise
In 2014, a study was conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) involving 36 countries, including India. The study examined the contribution of emissions from healthcare sectors in the member countries.
It was found that the healthcare sector is responsible for 1.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent (GtCO2e) emissions or 4.4 per cent of the total emissions from these nations.
Using the same data, Healthcare without Harm (HWH), an international NGO, conducted a study of global health-sector emissions. This study also found that healthcare accounts for 4.4 per cent of global emissions.
Energy use, a major cause of emissions
The study revealed that over half of that footprint comes from energy use.
This includes fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, institutional vehicles, the purchase of electricity, steam, heat or cooling for system operations, which are major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions in this sector.
Indian health care sector solutions
Hospitals can cut costs and emissions through practical steps such as off-grid solar or other renewables for unreliable grid areas, combined with basic efficiency measures like LED lighting, insulation and regular equipment maintenance.
Training health workers and facility managers in energy conservation, renewable benefits and safe wastewater handling builds long-term resilience.
Here’s a detailed look into the energy solutions
1. Solarisation
Climate Prescriptions highlights LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) as a case study for how Indian hospitals can lower their carbon footprint without compromising care. The eye-care network began its solar transition in 2017 with 90-kilowatt rooftop systems across three campuses.
By 2024, it had scaled up to 1,615 kW of installed rooftop capacity.
For a largely outpatient facility such as LVPEI, where most procedures take place in daylight and in-patient care is minimal, switching to solar power offers a natural fit. According to a Climate Prescriptions case study on the institute, the entire investment was recovered within three to four years.
The report notes that LVPEI’s systems have so far generated more than 7,620 MWh of clean energy, cutting an estimated 6,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and saving about Rs 2.8 crore in electricity costs.
2. Energy-efficient equipment
Apollo Hospitals has introduced a range of measures aimed at reducing its energy and water use.
Building-management systems, heat pumps, smart sensors, LED retrofits, high-efficiency chillers and pumps, bio-methanation of food waste and changes to laundry operations are among the interventions.
At Lombard Memorial Hospital in Udupi, medical superintendent Dr Sushil Jathanna says the 100-bed facility has combined solar power with basic efficiency measures such as LED lighting and more efficient fans and air-conditioners.
According to Climate Prescriptions studies, these steps have cut electricity costs by around Rs 1 lakh a month and ended the hospital’s reliance on tanker water. The hospital has also appointed dedicated staff to oversee and sustain its climate-related goals, signalling how even mid-sized institutions can integrate environmental priorities into day-to-day operations.
Data from the Climate Prescriptions project show that these steps have cut electricity consumption from 89 to 69 kVAh per bed per day, natural gas use from 5 to 1 SCM per bed per day and water use from 1.5 to 1 kilolitre per bed per day.
The reported savings are roughly equivalent to powering 1.6 lakh homes and avoiding the loss of about three lakh trees in a year.
Bhagat Hospitals in Delhi is using a mix of simple and technical interventions to cut its power use, according to founder and director Dr CM Bhagat in a Climate Prescriptions video. Air-conditioners are serviced regularly and replaced with newer models and brushless DC fans to reduce electricity demand to a quarter of conventional units and LED lighting is used throughout.
Buildings are designed for cross-ventilation, with vacuum glass in UPVC windows and plywood panels fixed with small gaps to moderate indoor temperatures and heating systems are chosen to match room size. Staff are trained in energy awareness.
Speaking to SouthCheck, India Projects Manager of HWH Chandan Khanna said, “In collaboration with Public Health Foundation of India’s (PHFI) Centre for Environmental Health, we have established a network aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of Indian healthcare and promoting public and environmental health.”
Health and Environment Leadership Platform
The network is named Health and Environment Leadership Platform (HELP). It is the India chapter of the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) network.
It gives Indian hospitals access to the latest insights on environmental sustainability, capacity-building for green and climate-resilient care, and case studies showcasing best practices nationwide.
All participating hospitals are working towards decarbonisation, and some have also joined the United Nations-led ‘Race to Zero’ campaign, which calls on non-state actors to halve global emissions by 2030.
“Through HELP, Indian hospitals automatically become members of the GGHH network, a coalition of more than 2,000 health facilities in over 80 countries, gaining access to tools and resources to cut their environmental footprint and improve public health,” said Chandan Khanna.
