In September, three IDE students began working at the new Green Intensive Care Room in the  Convergence Square at Erasmus MC. Their mission? Find ways to limit the environmental impact of the healthcare sector. Here’s why.

Current practices within the healthcare sector couple patient care with increased consumption of raw materials. Products such as syringes, liquid solutions, dressings, catheters, and personal protective equipment are used in large quantities to treat patients and save lives. This has led to healthcare being one of the most carbon-intensive sectors, contributing to 4.4% of global net greenhouse gas emissions and toxic air pollutants (the Netherlands is even higher at 5.9%).

Environmental impact

In order to limit the environmental impact of the healthcare sector, a series of IDE graduation projects have been selected by our Design for Sustainability (DfS) department in collaboration with the Erasmus MC Intensive Care Department. The graduation projects will take place in the new Green Intensive Care Room within the recently opened Convergence Square at Erasmus MC.

Gloves and syringes

IDE students Lisanne van den Berg, Alicia Ville and Margot Honkoop will be tackling sustainability issues during their time at Convergence Square. First, the sustainable use of gloves and syringes. Second, a sustainable system approach for the process of intubation to extubation. During their projects, our students will map and visualise the current practices. Then they will design and prototype solutions within the Green Intensive Care Room. Next semester students from Erasmus University and Erasmus MC will join them.

The Green Intensive Care Room is being coordinated by Dr Nicole Hunfeld (Erasmus MC) and Dr JC Diehl (TU Delft).