You cannot escape the urgent need for sustainability. Many sectors are making significant strides to reduce their environmental impact and the UK care home industry is no exception.
With the elderly population growing and care homes becoming a more prominent fixture in society, there is a critical need to integrate sustainable practices within care facilities. This integration benefits the environment, enhances the quality of life for residents and ensures the long-term viability of care homes. Add to that the cost benefits of being more sustainable and you have a compelling reason to go green.
Five Reasons Why Sustainability Matters in Care Homes
- Environmental Impact: Care homes, like other large facilities, consume substantial amounts of energy and resources. Implementing sustainable practices can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your care home, helping move towards net zero targets. Collectively this can help counter the effects of climate change.
- Health and Wellbeing: Sustainable practices can improve indoor air quality, reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, and promote healthier living environments. This is great for staff but particularly important for the elderly and vulnerable, who are often more susceptible to health issues.
- Economic Benefits: Energy-efficient systems and sustainable resource management can lead to considerable cost savings. It’s a simple equation consume less = spend less. You can do this without compromising standards. Concentrates of industrial cleaning products and products with reduced packaging are just as effective. Plus, any savings could be redirected to improve care facilities for residents.
- Regulatory Compliance: The UK government has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainability. Care homes that adopt sustainable practices are more likely to meet these regulatory requirements and avoid potential penalties. Plus, the CQC has announced that care homes must demonstrate the ways in which they are taking action to become more sustainable. Any care homes not deemed to be doing enough are likely to be penalised during inspections.
- Reputation and Community Support: Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can enhance a care home’s reputation and foster greater community support. It shows that the care home is forward-thinking and dedicated to the well-being of both its residents and the planet.
Five Best Practices for Sustainability
- Energy Efficiency: Implementing energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems can significantly reduce your energy consumption. For example, replacing old lightbulbs with LED lighting, or using timers on lights, can lower energy use and costs.
- Water Conservation: Installing low-flow taps and toilets, fixing leaks promptly, and using water-efficient landscaping can help conserve water. Additionally, rainwater harvesting systems can be used to irrigate gardens, further reducing water usage.
- Waste Reduction: Care homes can implement comprehensive recycling and composting systems to minimise waste. Encouraging residents and staff to reduce, reuse, and recycle can have a significant impact. You could even get residents involved in reuse or even upcycling projects. At the top of the waste hierarchy is ‘reduce’. Consuming less to start with has an enormous benefit on your carbon footprint and costs.
- Sustainable Sourcing: Procuring food, cleaning supplies, and other materials from sustainable sources can reduce your care home’s environmental footprint. This includes choosing local, organic food and using eco-friendly cleaning products.
- Green Building Practices: When constructing, renovating or redecorating your care home, using sustainable building materials and designs can greatly enhance energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Features such as solar panels, green roofs, and high-efficiency insulation are beneficial.
Ultimately, sustainability in UK care homes is not just an environmental imperative but a pathway to enhanced health, economic savings, and regulatory compliance. By adopting sustainable practices, your care home can significantly reduce its environmental impact while improving the quality of life for residents.
Acticare stands as a vital partner in this journey, offering a range of solutions and support to help care homes achieve their sustainability goals. From energy management and water conservation technologies to sustainable products and expert consultation, Acticare provides the tools and expertise needed to create greener, more sustainable care homes.
As the demand for sustainable practices continues to grow, care homes that embrace these changes will not only contribute to a healthier planet but also set a standard for excellence in the care community. It is a transformative journey that promises significant rewards for your care home, your residents, and the broader community.
How Acticare can help reduce costs and waste
There are multiple ways in which Acticare can help your care home raise standards and consume less. From a full product audit which identifies areas where you can streamline and save money, to a training session that will help your staff to use existing products more efficiently, Acticare are here to help you achieve your business goals. Just get in touch with our professional, friendly sales team.
We are committed to positively impacting our planet and society, so we are excited to be working with Planet Mark to measure our carbon footprint and actively work to reduce it. With our team and customers’ support, we’re working to do more good.
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Photo credit mali maeder and Min An