Care Uninterrupted: Valley Children’s Unwavering Commitment to Energy Resilience

For the 12 counties that Valley Children’s serves, protecting our communities against environmental threats like wildfires, extreme heat, drought and poor air quality is a personal challenge.

When the healthcare services we provide are interrupted, the impact on people who call the Valley home is significant. For residents in our underserved communities, the impact of natural disasters is even more profound. Unfortunately, environmental challenges can threaten to disrupt the one prerequisite to delivering consistent, high-quality care: a reliable, continuous power source.

Knowing this, we’ve taken things into our own hands. As we move into 2024, we are more committed to tackling the environmental challenges that are impacting our community and the families that depend on us to provide continuous access to quality healthcare services. Strengthening our ability to provide uninterrupted care to children in need and extend care availability beyond the hospital’s four walls is one of our leading organizational priorities.

We’ve made great progress toward accomplishing these goals. In 2022, Valley Children’s was one of the first hospitals in the nation to sign the Health Sector Climate Pledge, a nationwide effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to battle the effect of climate change on public health. This year, we launched a bold new energy resilience and environmental strategy that includes the installation of the largest pediatric healthcare-based renewable energy microgrid in the country.

What’s Next?

In 2025, Valley Children’s will operationalize a microgrid that uses photovoltaic materials, fuel cells and battery storage – all renewable energy sources – and become the largest pediatric healthcare-based microgrid in the country. The microgrid will reduce our reliance on the traditional power grid; the local utility and a diesel generator will provide emergency backup. This will help to ensure that Valley Children’s Hospital remains operational should there be a power outage caused by weather-related or other events.

By 2030, we aim to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. The long-term goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050, which will eliminate our carbon footprint and help to improve the region’s air quality.

“No matter what happens outside our walls, we never take our eye off of providing the best care for kids. This investment is certainly generational and one that will provide for a level of energy resiliency seen in only a handful of organizations across the country.”

Todd Suntrapak, President and CEO, Valley Children’s Hospital

Valley Children’s has other goals in mind as well, including investing in water treatment and recharge capabilities to ensure the Madera facility can navigate the challenges of California’s extended drought. We’re also developing and implementing a 10-year plan in partnership with the Valley Children’s Guilds Center for Community Health, which will help to identify the healthcare needs of children who live in the Central Valley. The plan will take into account the vast health disparities that exist in this population. Finally, we will be sourcing food from local, sustainable producers and looking for ways to reduce waste. For instance, our food composting program has diverted 83 tons of organic waste from landfills over the last 12 months and we have established a “Green Team” Stewardship Program to help us focus on additional sustainable practices. This best-in-class program has allowed us to apply for The Joint Commission’s Sustainable Healthcare Certification Program, demonstrating a commitment towards responsible environmental impact reduction.

Valley Children’s believes that together, we can make a positive impact on our surroundings and pave the way for a healthier, more sustainable future.

“The majority of a person’s health is shaped by the community that one lives in, so it is imperative that healthcare providers, especially those of us who serve children, look outside of our walls,” said Dr. Carmela Sosa, complex care pediatrician and director of the Valley Children’s Guilds Center for Community Health. “It is our duty to make sure we do everything within our ability to ensure that children have a healthy place to grow.”

“This is really about making sure Valley Children’s is insulated from any threat that might disrupt our ability to care for kids and to continue to innovate,” Suntrapak said. “The work here is sacred and children are our number one priority.”