Principles for the Sustainable Design of Hospital Buildings Ebtisam S. Alsawaf * , Amjad M. Albadry Department of Architecture Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Baghdad 10071, Iraq Corresponding Author Email: e.idrees1304d@coeng.uobaghdad.edu.iq https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.170614 ABSTRACT Received: 18 July 2022 Accepted: 16 September 2022 Technological progress has had negative effects as well as positive effects if it affects the life industry and the entire ecosystem significantly through the great consumption of natural resources, and here the construction sector in general and the health sector, in particular, have a role in this. From the perspective of keeping pace with technological development, responding to environmental changes, and paying attention to hospital environments (especially since the emergence of modern epidemics), and because the construction sector is the largest consumer of energy in the world, which made international organizations move towards creating a sustainable environment in the construction of hospital buildings by reducing energy consumption. This research focused on studying the components and principles of sustainable design for hospital buildings and the environmental, economic, health, and social benefits of sustainable development in the healthcare industry. In addition to the research objective, which is to build a model as a guide to guide health care officials interested in applying sustainable design principles in hospital design, to achieve an ideal sustainable hospital environment. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive theoretical framework was built by adopting a descriptive and analytical approach and extracting the most important vocabulary and effective indicators for sustainable design in hospitals. Keywords: sustainability, sustainable design, sustainable hospitals, sustainable health care, greener hospitals, intelligent hospitals 1. INTRODUCTION Hospital buildings are of particular importance in any society, as how this type of building was designed, built, and operated has a profound impact on human health and the environment. Increasing interest in this sector, which is concerned with the health aspect, and building it sustainably, to be compatible with human health and the surrounding natural environmental systems [1]. Increasing global environmental problems such as climate change and the energy crisis, along with a lack of material resources, will lead to stricter environmental guidelines, regulatory measures, and an increase in prices. The repercussions of environmental problems have adverse health effects, but it is still difficult to determine the extent of it. Hospitals will face both aspects [2], and the World Health Organization has called on hospitals to play an active role in combating climate change. By applying sustainability criteria for the comprehensive design and development of hospital buildings and achieving general objectives related to preserving resources, increasing the effectiveness of health services, and minimizing and reducing negative impacts resulting from hospitals (waste, for example) or affecting these buildings (noise, for example). And taking into account reducing the movement of people and supplies to and from the hospital, paying attention to the social and economic integration of the hospital within the urban fabric, and achieving health needs without negatively compromising the nature of the site. Studying hospital sustainability goes beyond just protecting the environment. The main characteristic of this field is the recognition of three interrelated dimensions: environmental, economic, and social. The planet faces many associated problems including poverty, ill health, overpopulation, resource depletion, food and water scarcity, political instability, and destruction of the life support systems on which we all depend [3]. We cannot solve one problem in isolation. Because they are all related to each other As it is known that the concept of sustainable development, in which all dimensions are balanced: environmental, economic, and social, in addition to the fourth dimension of health [4]. This is confirmed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2015 Agenda 2030, which sets out the so-called 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 goals. It develops a global action plan to support people, the planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership, which aims to make international efforts for sustainable development, by balancing three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. Moreover, sustainable development requires that we balance our needs with the ability of future generations to meet their own needs [5]. In general, sustainable design is one of the most important areas of sustainable development that must been considered. Sustainable design is an integrated concept that has philosophical dimensions rather than just the exterior of a building or a particular model [6]. Sustainably designed buildings reduce their impact on the environment through energy and resource efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gases. It is necessary to understand the principles governing sustainable design. The research aims to achieve the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning Vol. 17, No. 6, October, 2022, pp. 1797-1808 Journal homepage: http://iieta.org/journals/ijsdp 1797