News and Updates from the IFHE Community.

Dear IFHE Members

Here is your December 2025 IFHE Newseltter. 

Please circulate to members of your organisation and professional network.

Update your IFHE contact details HERE.

A highly successful Extra-ordinary Council Meeting was held via Zoom on December 18th, 2025, with 20 member countries voting in favour of adopting an ambitious and forward‑looking Work Plan for 2026.

The meeting also endorsed the associated 2026 Budget, providing the Executive Committee with a clear mandate to advance initiatives that support the continued growth and promotion of IFHE’s objectives.

Revised Standing Orders were approved, covering the appointment of Executive Committee Members, the Establishment and Operation of Regional Groups, and key aspects of Financial Management, including the use and protection of reserve funds.

Sincere thanks are extended to the many dedicated volunteers who contributed their time and expertise to shaping these essential foundations for a sustainable future for IFHE.

As IFHE moves into 2026 and looks ahead to the Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana in October, Council encourages all Member Countries and their associations to remain actively engaged.

Together, we can continue to advance global efforts to deliver sustainable, safe, high‑quality outcomes that support both patient care and organisational performance in healthcare.

IFHE 2026 World Congress is about Opportunity

  • Once-in-a-lifetime gathering of global healthcare expertise

  • First ever combined healthcare conference of its type (IFHE World Congress and Healthcare Design Conference + Expo

  • 35+ Countries representing 80% of the industrialized world

  • 300+ International Healthcare Facilities Professionals

  • 4000+ Attendees to HCD / IFHE 2026 World Congress

  • Uniting the most influential leaders in Healthcare engineering, design, construction, real estate, and operations

  • Hosted by AMFP, IFHE, and EmeraldX

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS 

As we look ahead to 2026, IFHE is entering an exciting new chapter. After years of hard work, we have successfully transformed our Federation into a formal legal entity—complete with tax‑exempt status and the ability to operate internationally. This has been a challenging but essential journey, and while it required significant focus, it also meant stepping back from our most important mission: supporting our A‑Members and their communities.

Now, with this foundation firmly in place, we are ready to move forward with an ambitious and energising Work Plan for 2026.

Building on the strategic planning work undertaken by Council in Mexico City in 2023, we are establishing five new standing committees to accelerate progress alongside the ongoing efforts of the Executive Committee and Council.

These committees will:

  1. Strengthen Strategic Partnerships Deepen our relationships with key global organisations—including WHO, the International Hospital Federation, Healthcare Without Harm, and ASHRAE—to bring valuable resources and expertise directly to our members.

  2. Enhance Communications Elevate our newsletter, strengthen our collaboration with relevant global Journals & Publications, enrich the IFHE Digest, and expand our social media presence to ensure members have access to timely, relevant and engaging information.

  3. Expand Educational Opportunities Launch a monthly webinar series and develop an IFHE‑created Continuing Education Unit to provide recognised credentials and meaningful professional development for our members.

  4. Improve Knowledge Sharing Upgrade our website to better support collaboration, resource sharing, and global exchange of best practices among members.

  5. Advance Recognition Through Awards Oversee the New Buildings Award and the Cut the Carbs Award, while also expanding our awards portfolio to celebrate excellence and support career advancement across our global community.

 

All of this represents tremendous progress—but we cannot do it alone. We need volunteers.

We encourage all Member Countries to share these opportunities widely. Volunteering with IFHE creates the opportunity to collaborate and contribute to a global movement, develop leadership skills, and build meaningful international connections. It’s an opportunity to shape the future of our Federation and strengthen the impact of healthcare engineering worldwide.

Everyone is welcome. Join us in building the future of IFHE.

Email us at: volunteers@ifhe.org

The Belém Health Action Plan emerged from a growing global consensus—shaped by clinicians, public-health leaders, researchers, and policymakers—that climate change is no longer a future risk but a present and accelerating health emergency.

Developed in the lead-up to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Statement links climate action directly to human health outcomes, calling for rapid decarbonization, resilient health systems, and equity-centered solutions that protect the most vulnerable. Its importance lies in reframing climate action not only as an environmental or economic imperative, but as a core public-health obligation.

By formally endorsing the Belém Health Action Plan for the Adaptation of the Health Sector to Climate Change, IFHE affirms that healthcare engineering and infrastructure are central to this response—from low-carbon facilities and energy systems to climate-resilient hospitals and communities.

IFHE Council’s formal adoption signals both leadership and accountability, aligning the global healthcare engineering profession with a shared commitment to safeguard health in a rapidly changing climate, while inviting IFHE members to take concrete action through climate-smart facility design, decarbonization planning, resilience investments, knowledge-sharing, and advocacy within their organizations and regions.

The global importance of this initiative has been emphasised in this article in the Lancet.

2026 Awards

The 2026 IFHE Congress will be held in New Orleans, where winners of two IFHE Award will be presented.

Enhanced Buildings Award

A long‑standing tradition, this award honors exemplary design in world‑class healthcare facilities. Details on the 2026 application process will be released early in the New Year.

"Cut the Carbs" Award

This award recognizes facilities operated by IFHE members who reduce their operational (Scope 1 and 2) greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% over two years. Final award details will be available very shortly, but you can pre‑register now at https://www.ifhecarbonchallenge.com/.

Following the 30th meeting of the Council of Parties (COP30) inBelem, Brazil, IFHE has endorsed the WHO call for Climate Action on Health, and this award celebrates all members contributing to meaningful climate progress.

In 2024, 237 facilities gained recognition in the Cut the Carbs Award, collectively reducing emissions by 957,000 metric tons—the equivalent of planting 15.9 million trees and growing them for a decade. IFHE members are making a real impact.

As always, IFHE offers a free Help Desk to support hospitals participating in the awards program. Members can contact awards@ifhe.org for assistance.

Thank you—and join us in making a difference!

 

IFHE Proudly Releases the 2026 IFHE Digest.

With special thanks to Andy Wavell (UK), IFHE DIgest Commissioning Editor and the global editorial comittee, the 2026 IFHE DIgest has been released.

Click here to open the 2026 IFHE Digest.

We acknowledge the contribution of many individuals and member associations in submitting articles for inclusion in another outstanding publication.

2026 IFHE Digest cover image

Click on the image above to open the onine edition of the 2026 IFHE DIgest.

 

New IFHE Global Webinar Series

IFHE is proud to launch a free online webinar series beginning in January. These technical sessions will address topics of broad relevance to healthcare managers.

Webinars will take place on the second Wednesday of every month and to accommodate global participation, each webinar will be offered twice on the same day: at 12:00 noon GMT and 12:00 midnight GMT.

We are currently seeking session sponsors. If you are a vendor or can recommend one, please contact us.  The first six session in 2026 are already scheduled, and we continue to identify outstanding IFHE members to serve as presenters.

We welcome your recommendations for speakers and topics.  Please mark your calendar for the second Wednesday of each month, starting on January 14th  and share this opportunity with members of your national organizations as we work together to strengthen our international professional community.

 

Attention Healthcare Engineers...

Refrigerant policy and technology are shifting quickly. On January 14, 2026, join IFHE’s webinar,

Getting Ahead of the Curve: Managing Refrigerants for Compliance and Operational Savings in Healthcare Facilities.”

This session will unpack how global frameworks such as the Kigali Amendment and EU F‑Gas are affecting markets and what that means for healthcare facilities’ HVAC/R systems and budgets. Expect practical guidance on staying ahead of compliance while improving lifecycle performance and cost control. We’ll also touch on recent U.S. updates so you can plan specifications, detection, and maintenance programs with confidence.

Kicking off IFHE’s new monthly, free global webinar series, this is a chance to learn from peers and industry experts and align your facility strategy for 2026.

Register now by clicking one of the links below and be part of the conversation driving climate action in healthcare.

Session 1: 12:00 AM GMT (7:00PM Jan. 13th Eastern Time USA):

https://mazzetti.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Vyb4pA8eT-exwLE-IxYt0Q

Session 2: 12:00 PM GMT (7:00AM Jan. 14th Eastern Time USA):

https://mazzetti.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ysyLhmUpSUKhmIto2EDIWw

In late Novemebr 2025, Walt Vernon, IFHE A/President attended the SMAES XX "Hospital of the Future" Congress in Mexico City.

The spirit of global collaboration was evident in the gathering of colleagues, and this was a continuation of the efforts of 2025, during which IFHE has been actively represented at meetings in Belgium, Japan, Canada, Italy, Spain, France, UK, Germany, Serbia, Bolivia and Mexico. 

In 2026 energy will be focussed on helping past and present members in the Asia Pacific Region

IFHE's goal is to support the work of all of national members, and to provide whatever support is possible to enhance the network opportunties

Thank you all for being part of this special group of people.

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