Boston Medical Center Chief Sustainability & Real Estate Officer Robert Biggio: 4 Things to Know

Boston Medical Center Health System (BMCHS) has named Robert Biggio (pictured above) as senior VP, chief sustainability and real estate officer.

Here are four things to know about Biggio's experience and expertise, and BMC Health System's sustainability strategy.

1. Organization Scope and Scale: The expansive BMC Health System, based in Boston, Massachusetts, includes:

• Boston Medical Center, with one million patient visits annually;
• WellSense Health Plan, a Medicaid managed care organization with 740,000 members in Massachusetts and New Hampshire;
• Boston University Medical Group, with 800 physicians, non-physician clinicians, educators and researchers across 18 clinical departments at BMC;
• Boston HealthNet, a network of 12 affiliated community health centers;
• Boston Accountable Care Organization; and
• Clearway Health, a pharmacy solutions company that helps third-party health systems build and expand specialty pharmacies.

2. Sustainability Goals and Milestones: BMC is among 650 hospitals across the United States that pledged to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030. On the energy consumption front, the organization's website states:

• Boston Medical Center since 2017 has been generating much of its own electricity and heat through a natural gas-fired, two-megawatt combined heat and power plant (CHP). 
• The cogeneration power plan is 70% efficient, compared to traditional plants that are 35% efficient.
• A Rooftop Farm is a 2,658 square foot farm with more than 25 crops situated on top of our Power Plant building.
• In 2016, Boston Medical Center inked a solar purchase and partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation. BMC is committed to purchasing 26% of the power generated by a solar array in North Carolina.
• Related efforts have reduced BMC's utilities bill by over $7 million per year.

According to Biggio's biography, BMC has won several sustainability awards, including the Norman B. Leventhal Environment Award for Excellence in City Building, and the 2014 Energy Project of the Year Award by the New England Chapter of the National Association of Energy Engineers.

Still, we don't have a feel for the overall BMC Health System sustainability strategy or net-zero GHG emissions target deadline.

3. Robert Biggio's Role and Experience: Biggio, previously was BMC Health System's senior VP of facilities and support services. He now shifts to senior VP, chief sustainability & real estate officer at the organization. The title reflects Biggio's "growing role and work on carbon reduction in recognition of the major impact global warming will have on our communities," the organization said.

Biggio will "continue to manage BMCHS’ major capital projects and facilities, while sharing lessons from BMCHS’ carbon reduction and sustainability with organizations across the country," the organization added.

Before joining Boston Medical Center in 2011, Biggio was VP of support services and real estate at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

4. Bigger Picture: Biggio's new role was announced as part of an expanded BMC Health System executive leadership team. The expanded team includes "healthcare strategy and digital experts to serve in newly established or re-conceived senior leadership roles to drive growth, innovation, and equity for patients and members across the system," the organization said.

Chief Sustainability Officer: Why Technology Partners Should Care

By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.

The bottom line: Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO customer needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.