CARBON AND EMISSION REDUCTION A VINCI Building standpoint on
selecting an FF&E supplier products that can help us to achieve our sustainability targets, helping us to specify suitable products or exclude products that will not allow us to achieve the BREEAM credit. In the case of the Royal Oldham Hospital project, for example, we chose a wide range of products from Hygenius as the company is very transparent about its carbon performance; all of its products contributed to us achieving BREEAM credits within the project. The project will see the construction of a four-storey extension to the main hospital building, providing two 24-bed wards and a rooftop plantroom, along with future expansion space to accommodate new critical care and endoscopy facilities. The building is being constructed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Joe Robinson, a Quantity surveyor at VINCI Building, says: “Sustainability is one of our core values at VINCI Building. It’s a key component when selecting FF&E for our healthcare projects. For us, this means a high-quality product made from sustainable materials or using sustainable practices. Firstly, the user needs to know they have purchased a good quality piece of furniture or equipment that can be used frequently and will last a long time. Secondly, Integrated Health Projects (IHP) – an established joint venture between Sir Robert McAlpine and VINCI Construction UK – is committed to sustainability, and has implemented various strategies to reduce its environmental impact. Choosing sustainable healthcare products is key to IHP achieving our BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) targets. “BREEAM is very useful, in that it identifies some key characteristics of
Prioritising sustainable sourcing “We prioritise sustainable sourcing practices, reducing carbon emissions and ensuring minimal environmental impact
looking to increase the usage of recycled content in the materials used to manufacture our FF&E.”
Specific targets set Have you set any specific targets to reduce your carbon emissions going forward? RT: “Absolutely. Our environmental pledge is to achieve Net Zero by 2050. To achieve this goal, our aim is to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 20% by 2030 (near time, 1.5 °C) and by 90% by 2050 (Net Zero), while at the same time reducing our Scope 3 emissions by 20% by 2030 (near time, well below 2 °C) and 90% by 2050. Now that we have our 2023 benchmark carbon footprint, we will evaluate our progress against targets on an annual basis, and also throughout the year.”
What advice would you give to other companies who are considering applying for EPD certification? RT: “Firstly, listen to your customers, and identify what value they place on the certification. We have been listening to the evolving needs of healthcare communities for
throughout the product lifecycle. When making purchasing decisions about healthcare FF&E, we carefully consider the environmental impact of each product. If a lower-carbon option performs equally well, we will select it, even if there is a premium to pay for the product with the lower impact, as this would help us to achieve our sustainability targets. “It’s important to ensure that materials
are responsibly sourced. For example, we require FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification to be submitted when timber products are used on the project. If a provider can evidence responsible resourcing methods and practices, this would make us more likely to choose them to work on one of our projects. We also align our sustainable values with our clients, as this helps to strengthen client relationships, meet regulatory requirements, and contribute to a project’s positive social impact.”
more than 50 years. NHS Trusts – and the architects and contractors tasked with designing healthcare environments on their behalf – are increasingly seeking suppliers who can demonstrate EPD certification for their products, as this aligns with the NHS commitment to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2040.
“I would also advise companies to understand the benefits, and evaluate if your product has a significant environmental impact that can be quantified through an EPD. If it has, spend some time choosing the right EPD programme and, if required, appoint an independent sustainability consultancy which specialises in environmental accounting services to manage the process. Fishwick Environmental undertook our lifecycle assessment (LCA). “Finally, achieving EPD certification is a really significant
achievement, and a brilliant way to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability, improve your reputation, increase market access, and strengthen customer confidence, so make sure you shout about your success.”
February 2025 Health Estate Journal 69
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