DAPHNE

Healthcare is a hugely energy-intensive sector. It contributes 5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and has a carbon footprint equivalent to 514 coal-fired power plants.
Over 50% of its footprint is attributable to energy use, primarily consumption of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning, with other operational emissions. Other contributing activities include: agriculture (9% e.g. catering at health facilities, growing cotton for surgical gowns), pharmaceuticals & chemicals (5%), transport (7%) and waste treatment (3%).
There are ca. 15000 hospitals in the EU, accounting for 25% to 60% of health expenditure (average 9.9% of EU member states’ GDP).

The decarbonisation of the healthcare sector can no longer be postponed.

8 organisations from 7 EU countries, including support of an Advisory partner (Italy, Romania, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Poland and Sweden), have decided to collaborate in order to enhance the capacity of 6 national/regional/local authorities to design and implement better policies to decarbonise the healthcare sector. The DAPHNE project presents a valuable opportunity for them to make a significant impact and drive positive and sustainable change.

By fostering uptake of an integrated approach, DAPHNE boosts the design and implementation of high-impact actions (power supply, renewable, facilities and operations, supply chain, waste management, etc.) all contributing to GHG emission reduction and encouraging the scaling up of innovative tools in the field.

In this context and in order to achieve the overall project aim, partners cooperate at interregional level to reach the following specific objectives:
1) to chart a course to decarbonisation of the healthcare sector, involving multiple interventions to implement high-impact integrated actions;
2) to identify latest breakthrough technologies and innovative tools that could accelerate the energy transition in the sector.