Energy
Cleaning hospital energy usage Following the Labour Party’s 60 per cent renewable energy target pledge last year, we explore how feasible this is for the healthcare sector, and look at the NHS Trusts that are sucessfully reducing energy and improving sustainability According to the Labour Party, sixty per cent of all the non-transport electricity and heat demand across the UK could be supplied by means that are either renewable or low-carbon by 2030. In its ‘Expert briefing note for Labour on wind, solar and energy efficiency’, the Party sets out four key elements critical to achieving this – energy efficiency, offshore wind, onshore wind and solar power. Labour believes the most practical and realistic ways to achieve this target is to reduce heat demand from buildings by almost one quarter; provide 85 per cent of electricity demand from renewable or low carbon sources; and provide 44 per cent of heating demand from renewable sources. Healthcare energy With such energy-intensive estates, are such targets feasible for NHS Trusts? As demonstrated in the Health Business Awards, there has been some great examples of hospitals reducing energy usage and becoming more sustainable in the way they operate. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) won the Sustainable Hospital Award last year for its investment in energy efficiency projects. MFT is one of the largest Trusts in the UK, with nine hospitals across six sites, employing over 20,000 staff and treating more than two million patients every year. Embedding sustainability requires a multi-disciplinary approach. Over £400,000 has been invested in energy efficiency projects since 2017, and the trust has managed to achieve an eight per cent
energy costs. Over a 40-year lifespan, the project, to be delivered in partnership with Teesside University and Middlesbrough Council, is expected to reduce the trust’s carbon footprint by 8,000 tonnes per year. North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust was also commended at the Health Business Awards for its sustainability efforts. Rows of 250kw panels at the University Hospital of North Tees will generate renewable energy which can go back into powering the whole building and reduce the site’s electricity costs by around 10 per cent. The work forms part of a large scale development after successfully securing £25 million to carry out much needed investment in the trust’s infrastructure. Contractor NG Bailey is building a new energy centre on site replacing the existing boiler room and all of the electrical infrastructure.
reduction in single occupancy car travel and a five per cent increase in active travel against a 2015 baseline. Ambitious targets of a three per cent yearly reduction in CO2 have been set in order to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Combined heat and power won last year’s Environmental Practice London’s Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Award for its Care without Carbon Foundation Trust meanwhile was framework, which is available applauded for its Combined Heat for all NHS Trusts to and Power plant which produces As participate in. Care enough electricity to meet shown Without Carbon half of its energy needs in the H provides a framework and reduce the carbon Busines ealth for developing and dioxide emissions it implementing produces by over 11,000 there h s Awards, as been a Sustainable tonnes, saving almost £2 great e s o m Development million in energy costs. e hospita xamples of Management Plan A departmental ls (SDMP). Based tagging system has energy reducing around seven steps, it also been introduced so u sage ensures all aspects of departments can track sustainability are captured their waste generation and in a way that can be tailored recycling rate and allows the to suit any NHS organisation. waste team to ensure that any South Tees Hospitals HNS areas of non-compliance can be quickly Foundation Trust was commended in the addressed. It has recently recorded an Sustainable Hospital Award category 80 per cent reduction in clinical waste. for delivering significant carbon savings University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay while reducing energy costs. NHS Foundation Trust was commended Middlesbrough’s James Cook University in the Environmental Practice category Hospital, which currently spends around for its use of combined heat and power £4.5 million on energy, will be the first (CHP) systems and LED Lighting. complex to benefit from a district heating To meet energy demand, the Trust has project. The scheme plans to use some approved the design, installation and of the waste heat from local industry to operation of two 800kW CHP units that warm public sector buildings, delivering will reduce annual CO2 emissions by 2,500 significant carbon savings while reducing tonnes. In addition to generating E Volume 19.1 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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