Making Malaysia’s public healthcare system ‘greener’

The Malaysian public healthcare sector has aligned itself to the country’s national sustainability development programme roadmap, which allows for the adoption of green technologies and practices across public services, including the public healthcare sector. The country is moving forward towards more sustainable practices and lifestyles to address issues of climate change and unsustainable consumption, as well as inefficient water resource management

This article provides an overview and updates on the advancement of sustainability programmes by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Malaysia to reduce carbon emissions, particularly in the public healthcare sector. Major adaptations by MOH include energy-efficient building, adopting renewable energy resources to offset power demand, and waste reduction, as well as a green building initiative programme. MOH will continue to commit towards sustainability and make planetary health and the climate agenda a priority in its actions. 

From energy efficiency to ‘green’ building initiatives The year 2015 marked a new milestone in Malaysian healthcare facility management (FM) practice, when the Sustainable Energy Management Program (SEMP), Reuse, Reduce and Recycle (3R) Program, and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) management, were first introduced. Under the new FM contract, the FM companies acted both as facility managers and Energy Service Companies (ESCOs). As ESCOs, the companies are involved in a range of energy management services, such as energy audits and energy consumption monitoring, as well as implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.