Denver Health cares for our patients, our people, and our community. As part of that commitment, we are constantly thinking about how we can reduce health care waste and pollution.
How We are Cutting Emissions and Reducing Waste
- Reducing Energy Use – Over the past few years, Denver Health has replaced 19,000 incandescent and halogen fixtures with LED, reducing emissions and costs. We have also retro-commissioned two existing solar arrays and increased the output of solar energy generation by 100%.
Optimizing Pharmaceutical Use – In 2024, Denver Health’s main operating room shut off its supply of centrally-piped nitrous oxide and converted to portable tanks, thereby saving close to 90% of the supply from leaking into the atmosphere, where it acts as a potent greenhouse gas. Denver Health was the first hospital in Colorado to accomplish this!- Reducing Transportation-Related Emissions – In 2025, Denver Health reduced emissions by rewiring the EMS command vehicles so they could be plugged in to electricity instead of staying on and idling. They can still maintain readiness but not emit CO2 and other pollutants.
- Improving Waste Management Practices – In 2025, our food services started composting food that was not used by the patients.
In the News
In recognition of its achievement and innovation in health care sustainability, Denver Health received the 2025 Partner for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care. In 2024, Denver Health received the Circle of Excellence Award for energy and the Partner for Change Award.
Contact Us
For more information, send an email to Lorena.Zimmer@dhha.org.
