VALUE PROPOSITION OF GREEN HOSPITALS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

The rising numbers of hospitals going green has been significant not only in Singapore but also in other countries worldwide such as the United States. Despite the growing trend of green hospitals, the priorities of hospitals in relation to going green, as well as the effectiveness of the current Green Mark Scheme (GMS) on hospitals in Singapore should be well addressed. The study aims to examine both the benefits and underlying issues of local hospitals going green. It covers the various perspectives of stakeholders involved in both public and private hospitals, which include the policymakers, key hospital developers, actual hospital management and building consultants. The study adopts a qualitative methodology through the review of previous local and overseas works. An expert survey was also carried out to find out the viewpoints of the key hospital stakeholders with regards to their expectations of green hospitals as well as their opinions on the relevance of the GMS to hospitals. One of the major findings is that unlike other building types, hospitals are patient-focused and it is thus important to integrate patient’s health with sustainability. Also, from the pair-wise comparison of the seven performance mandates, the top most important performance criteria for green hospitals include indoor air quality and thermal comfort. The results of the expert survey indicate the possibility for a separate green building rating system for hospitals. The study thus suggests that the GMS should be reviewed based on the functional requirements and complex design unique to hospitals.