CO₂ footprint in home ventilation.

Study results from France on the ”Assessment of the Carbon Footprint in the Care of Patients Receiving Non-Invasive Ventilation Monitored at Bordeaux University Hospital.”

The impact on greenhouse gas emissions within the healthcare system is enormous. This makes it all the more important to consider sustainability, environmental protection, and carbon dioxide reduction – from production all the way to the patient at home. The industry bears responsibility for this, as carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and environmental pollution and is linked to the rise in respiratory diseases. 

In light of the medical and environmental challenges, Löwenstein Medical France partnered with Dr. Léo Grassion, a pulmonologist at Bordeaux University Hospital, and Paul Zingaretti, a pharmacist and indoor medical consultant at Alizé Médical (a French home care provider¹), to assess the carbon footprint of the care pathway for patients receiving home ventilation. A study used data from 23 patients and collected detailed information on all consumables, equipment, and the exact travel routes of the technicians for each patient. The study was initiated by Dr. Léo Grassion and was carried out in 2023/2024 with the aim of presenting the results at the French Pulmonology Congress in January 2025 – CPLF 2025.

The analysis enabled us to identify the main sources of emissions and explore concrete ways to reduce the environmental impact of home ventilation for patients. For the year 2023, it was calculated that the carbon footprint for the care of a ventilated patient at home is around 880 kg of CO₂ per patient, per year. In comparison, this is equivalent to 4,400 km of travel in an average fossil fuel car or the emissions of 100,000 smartphone charges.

Particularly interesting was the finding that technician travel is the main source of carbon emissions. In the study, 86% of the carbon footprint is attributable to the home care provider, with 64% directly related to fuel consumption, while only 14% is attributable to us as the manufacturer of the medical devices. This means that today, almost the entire carbon footprint in the care pathway for patients receiving non-invasive ventilation comes from the home care provider and is caused by the use of fossil fuels. But as always, there are notable exceptions, as we’ve learned: In Perpignan, a city in France, a home care provider uses a cargo bike for CPAP deliveries! 

We plan to conduct a new study in five years, with the focus then on a different type of propulsion, as the home care provider will be replacing technicians’ cars with electric vehicles. 

The study and in-house lifecycle analyses also showed that healthcare providers (HCPs) would need to purchase medical devices with the smallest carbon footprint in order to reduce their own. With this in mind, only a life cycle assessment can provide the necessary information to choose the right product when it comes to its carbon footprint.

It is important to note that the calculation is specific to one example, as different care processes and variations in the electricity mix – such as the differences between France (where electricity mainly comes from nuclear power) and Germany (where it is largely generated from coal) – will result in different carbon footprints. 

If the home care provider implements solutions to eliminate the 64% share of the carbon footprint related to fuel consumption, the proportion of emissions attributable to us as manufacturer of the medical device will become more significant in the overall footprint, underscoring the need for continuous improvement in the sustainability of our devices.

For comparison: In Germany, Löwenstein Medical is implementing the concept as a home care provider with sleep breathing centers and branches throughout the country. 

The purpose of the life cycle assessment is to accurately quantify the carbon footprint of these medical devices over their entire life cycle – from manufacturing to end of life. 

As a leading manufacturer of intensive care and home ventilation devices, we at Löwenstein Medical have taken on this responsibility and have already taken steps to subject two of our ventilators, prisma VENT and LUISA, to a life cycle assessment in order to evaluate matters such as their carbon emissions. These devices play a crucial role in treating patients with hypercapnia, a condition in which excessive carbon dioxide accumulates in the blood due to inhaling CO_₂-rich air, which can have serious consequences. 

Carrying out such assessments would be crucial to enable users and buyers to choose consumables with the smallest possible carbon footprint. By identifying the main sources of emissions, these assessments help define opportunities for improvement to reduce environmental impact – including the selection of more sustainable materials, the optimization of production processes, and improved recycling management. 

As a manufacturer of ventilators, we have a dual mission: to improve patient health while minimizing our impact on the environment. It is our duty to evolve our practices so that every decision we make reflects this imperative. Commitment to a more responsible industry must become a cornerstone of our corporate strategy. By continuing these efforts, we will not only meet societal expectations but also take pride in the legacy we leave for future generations. 

This sustainable approach is an important driving force behind our industry’s transition towards becoming more environmentally friendly. In the field of ventilation, we work to reduce hypercapnia in patients – but we must also remember to protect the planet, so that it too can “breathe” more easily. After all, every step we take helps us breathe cleaner air. And there’s one question worth asking: “Isn’t it better to source products from Europe in order to breathe life into Europe?”