Users’ journeys to healthcare centers generate high greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere. The aim of this work is to calculate the carbon footprint generated by these trips, considering different means of transport and average distances traveled. For this purpose, data corresponding to six rural healthcare centers in Extremadura (Spain), which provide health services to less than 15,000 inhabitants, were collected. Buildings that have been considered had a built-up area between 1,328 and 3,192 m2 and staff’s size ranged from 14 to 38. An average of 400 people was surveyed daily at each healthcare center for 25 random days over one year. Average results are 12.93 kg CO2eq/inhabitant, 50.52 kg CO2eq/m2, 2.97 kg CO2eq/user and 1.08 tCO2eq/worker. Equations for estimating GHG emissions in terms of functional parameters of the healthcare centers were also defined. The transportation-to-healthcare-centers breakdown entails travel by foot (33.5%), by single car (40.4%), by shared car (25.1%) and alternative vehicles (less than 1%). Moreover, it was found that sharing vehicles reduce average annual emissions by 20.5%. Finally, savings obtained in different scenarios increasing pedestrian were analyzed. This study allows to identify opportunities to reduce these GHG emissions, which lead to a lower environmental impact of health activity and is useful to calculate carbon footprint due to the operation of a healthcare center.
Impact of urban mobility on carbon footprint in healthcare centers in Extremadura (Spain)
International Journal of Sustainable Transportation ; 16 , 7 ; 627-636
2022-07-01
10 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
Unknown
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