{"id":244357,"date":"2026-04-22T14:05:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T18:05:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=244357"},"modified":"2026-04-22T14:44:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T18:44:31","slug":"medical-school-a-marks-uconn-health-sustainability-progress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/04\/medical-school-a-marks-uconn-health-sustainability-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"Medical School \u2018A\u2019 Marks UConn Health Sustainability Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UConn School of Medicine has the highest mark among the 54 U.S. medical schools graded by the 2026 Planetary Health Report Card<\/a>, released annually on Earth Day.<\/p>\n

UConn’s is one of seven U.S. medical schools with an overall grade of \u2018A,\u2019 up from an \u2018A-\u2019 last year and representing a new high. The report card takes into account curriculum, interdisciplinary outreach, community outreach, support for student-led initiatives, and campus sustainability.<\/p>\n

Sustainability is in the curricula in both the medical and dental schools and in the internal medicine residency program.<\/p>\n

\"portrait<\/a>
From left: Medical students Stefan Marczuk and Kelly Zheng, Dr. Kirsten Ek, medical student Braeden Sagehorn, and dental students TJ Acquista and Lina Layakoubi in the academic rotunda for the Health Systems Science class April 7, 2026. (Photo provided by Kirsten Ek)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe discuss the importance of clean water and air, and a livable climate, as fundamental to human health in a series as part of the Health Systems Science course,\u201d says Dr. Kirsten Ek<\/a>, assistant professor of medicine and member of UConn Health\u2019s sustainability working group<\/a>..<\/p>\n

In late January, students took part in a zero-waste event as part of a community health panel in North Hartford, bringing reusable food containers and utensils to a community historically overburdened by landfills and incinerator waste. Two months later, first-year medical and dental students heard from two local community members sharing their experiences with health harms related to pollution.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn part this served as a reminder of the critical importance of considering environmental determinants of health when taking care of patients,\u201d Ek says.<\/p>\n

The topic of the April 7 Health System Sciences class was climate and health, including how sustainable practices in health care can reduce its carbon footprint.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd from the graduate medical side, for the first time ever this year, internal medicine residents had an educational half-day session on climate and environmental health, which included ways health care can reduce carbon emissions,\u201d Ek says.<\/p>\n

The UConn John Dempsey Hospital operating room is one particular area at UConn Health that has been focusing on sustainability for several years now.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.<\/a>
Dr. Adam Fischler, UConn Health anesthesiologist, is leading sustainability efforts in the operating room. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSustainability initiatives in the OR are making a tremendous impact on the OR\u2019s carbon footprint at UConn Health,\u201d says Dr. Adam Fischler, OR medical director. \u201cReduction of anesthetic gas usage, minimization of material waste, and better HVAC management are making a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fischler reports UConn Health installed 14 new anesthesia machines, equipped with sustainability features, in the operating rooms and electrophysiology lab. Volatile anesthetic gas usage is down more than 50%. New machines can safely lower fresh gas flows to as low as 0.3 liters per minute. The potential for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is 75% or greater. The OR also has reduced is hourly air exchanges, which saves energy.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most significant, measurable sustainability success since Earth Day 2025 is at the Creative Child Center on UConn Health\u2019s lower campus. In the nine months since energy efficiency improvements were completed, the building is using half the energy.<\/p>\n

\"exterior<\/a>
UConn Health reports a 51% reduction in energy use at its Creative Child Center in the first nine months since the installation of an ultra-high performance heating, ventilation and air conditioning system under a pilot program funded by Connecticut Innovations. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The improvements were part of a state pilot program to reduce the building\u2019s carbon footprint using new technology known as ultra-high performance heating, ventilation and air conditioning (UHP HVAC).<\/p>\n

Connecticut Innovations, the strategic venture capital arm of the state\u2019s Office of Manufacturing, fully funded the project, in which the Shelton-based firm Budderfly installed the UHP HVAC at the child center on UConn Health\u2019s lower campus to demonstrate the potential benefits by way of a 12-month pilot. The new system, combined with a changeover to LED lighting throughout the building, saved nearly 46,000 kilowatt hours from June through February, a 51% reduction in energy use compared to average usage over those same months. At 18 cents per kilowatt hour, it\u2019s a savings of more than $8,600.<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/a>
John Lombardi (second from right), UConn Health\u2019s director of facilities engineering and sustainability and chair of its sustainability working group, and UConn President Radenka Maric (center) accept a Trailblazer Award at the 2025 GreenerGov Awards ceremony at the state Capitol July 31, 2025. (Department of Energy and Environmental Protection photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s one of several sustainability successes UConn Health reports for Earth Day 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore important than us reporting on our ongoing sustainability efforts is using them to illustrate how we all can take steps to make a difference and contribute to the collective effort,\u201d says John Lombardi, UConn Health\u2019s director of facilities engineering and sustainability and chair of the sustainability working group. \u201cWe also use the opportunity to learn how one area contributed and others can engage with similar efforts. This way smaller things add up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other sustainability highlights and initiatives at UConn Health include:<\/p>\n

Connecticut GreenerGov Awards<\/h4>\n