The Work for Sustainability at Oulu University Hospital Brought Gold Medal in a Global Competition

Oulu University Hospital's OYS 2030 -renewal program was ranked first in its category in the International Hospital Federation’s IHF Awards 2023 competition. The hospital participated in the Ashikaga-Nikken Excellence Award for Green Hospitals category, where hospitals and healthcare organizations promoting sustainable initiatives were recognized.

‘Winning in a high-level global competition is well-deserved recognition for all those who participated in building the new hospital. I am particularly grateful for the expertise provided by the staff and clients at the various stages of planning,’ says Miia Turpeinen, Director of the University Hospital.

Oulu University Hospital is one of Finland's five university hospitals. With its renewal program, a new hospital will be built in Oulu to serve Northern Finland as well as meet the needs of future specialized medical care.

Sustainability been taken into account in the renewal program, both during construction and in planning the future operations. Finland’s climate has been characterized by annual temperature changes. Situated near the Arctic Circle, temperatures in Oulu can range from a high of +32 degrees to a low of -35 degrees Celsius. The hospital's northern location and the changing weather conditions affect its planning.

‘Our goal has been to choose solutions that are genuinely sustainable and improve energy efficiency in the new hospital, but are operationally secure at the same time. For example, the energy costs of the new hospital are aimed at savings of about 30–40% compared to the old hospital,’ says Program Director Kari-Pekka Tampio.

The new hospital will have a smaller overall area, but will be more efficient in its use of space. Space will be sufficient when operations are planned in a new manner. User oriented planning has played a key role in this: hospital staff have participated in the design of their own future operations and facilities.

Flexibility and convertibility have also been a key criterion. Spaces and equipment will also become more jointly used. New digital solutions contribute to reducing the hospital's carbon footprint. In the future, remote medical services and other digital service channels will enable the hospital's patients to not only have a pleasant but also ecological alternative to engage with the hospital.

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Contact information

Miia Turpeinen, Director of the University Hospital, miia.turpeinen@pohde.fi, +385 40 152 2655

Kari-Pekka Tampio, Programme Director, kari-pekka.tampio@pohde.fi, +385 40 151 4005