GPON in Healthcare
A growing number of medical practices are going beyond the call of duty— promoting the health of the environment as conscientiously as they promote the health of patients.
There are several compelling reasons for a healthcare facility to go green. For starters, eco-friendly practices may reduce rates of pollution-related illnesses.
There is also, of course, a financial incentive.
A study conducted by the Healthier Hospitals Initiative suggests that if all facilities adopted environmentally sustainable operations, the healthcare sector could save more than $15 billion over the next decade.
A gigabit passive optical network (GPON) is an essential part of any environmentally sustainable healthcare program.
GPONs’ fiber-based structure supports healthcare’s green initiatives in three key ways:
- Energy Conservation
At a hospital, the door is always open, the lights are always on and the equipment is powerful enough to bring patients back to life. It takes a lot of energy to do this much good. A GPON can help hospitals achieve balance.
As covered in a previous post, GPONs are much easier to maintain than Ethernet systems. The difference in energy consumption is astounding. Indeed, GPONs use minimal data center equipment, unify networks and services, and otherwise consume 80% less power than traditional networks.
- Less Reliance on HVAC
Fiber is much less vulnerable to temperature fluctuations than copper. The fiber-based GPON’s low maintenance structure reduces hospitals’ need for floor level communication rooms and their carefully controlled climates— good news considering that heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) accounts for 40% of all carbon emissions.
Reduced reliance on HVAC translates to huge savings and a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
- Avoidance of Environmentally Harmful Practices
Ethernet systems are comprised of copper pieces. This is problematic for several reasons. The mining of copper and other natural resources has been linked to earth erosion, the formation of sinkholes as well as soil and water contamination.
In addition to its damaging extraction process, copper is weak and quick to degrade. Fiber optic cable can withstand eight times the pulling tension that copper cable can. Healthcare facilities that replace copper-based networks with fiber-based GPONs help to break the cycle of environmental harm.
The medical community is embracing environmentally friendly operations and it is easy to see why! Going green cuts operational costs and lays the foundation for a bright and healthy future.
If your hospital or healthcare facility is looking to join the sustainable healthcare movement, replacing wasteful Ethernet with GPON is the best place to start! GPON systems help healthcare facilities conserve precious resources and reject environmentally harmful practices.
Contact us for your consultation today!
