CARBON AND ENERGY REDUCTION
The hospital’s existing site-wide district heating network and high voltage power network needed to be replaced.
high heat load are essential for finding these heat-saving wins. By using innovative modelling
techniques, we are able to observe current energy usage and emissions, and make accurate comparison between the current state of play and proposed interventions, such as air or ground source heat pumps, or renewable energy such as solar panels. Heat pumps are often seen as the best answer to a low carbon heating solution, but this is not always the case. While heat pumps can be three times more efficient than gas options, electricity is currently almost four times more expensive. Therefore, moving straight to an electric solution could be more expensive for the end-user, and a difficult transition during an energy crisis.
Prioritising energy demand reduction This is where the fabric first approach – and making energy demand reduction the priority – comes into its own. When working on healthcare projects, the key is to provide a range of options to improve the energy efficiency of the building fabric before recommending low or zero carbon heat sources, ensuring that all plans are suited to their wider Net Zero strategies. Future-proofing and forward thinking also need to be carefully considered, leaving space for adjustments should advances in technology make sources such as hydrogen a more attractive option. It is also important that there is ongoing
The main Kettering General Hospital site previously operated on a steam heating network that was more than 50 years’ old.
close collaboration, not just between the healthcare provider and the consultants on the project, but also with the supply chain. For example, CPW works in lockstep with manufacturers to ensure that all data in our modelling is accurate in order to provide reliable estimates to our clients, preventing unwanted and potentially costly surprises. By adopting fabric first as a principle
for both retrofit and new-build projects, healthcare estates are able to get the best value for their hard-earned funding, whether that be from central government or their own capital resources. This was the case with a redevelopment
project CPW delivered at Kettering General Hospital. Working with the Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the project consisted of the replacement of ageing site-wide energy infrastructure, and the wider development of a Net Zero carbon pathway for scope 1 & 2 emissions to ensure that the Trust could achieve the NHS Net Zero target of an 80% reduction by 2032, and being Net Zero in operational carbon by 2040. The main hospital site previously
operated on a steam heating network that was more than 50 years’ old, and, by the time of our appointment, was relying on temporary steam boilers and required continuous intervention. The existing private high voltage electrical network, while still in satisfactory working
condition, did not have the capacity to accommodate the redevelopment of the hospital, so was supported by ageing standby power generation that did not meet current standards for an acute hospital site.
‘Twin challenges’ These twin challenges meant that the existing site-wide district heating network and high voltage power network needed to be replaced, and supplemented by the delivery of a pathway to Net Zero carbon. This required the construction of a new energy centre comprising low carbon heat sources and standby power equipment, along with a new low temperature district heating network, supplied by a private high voltage power network. The CPW team undertook an analysis of the existing site, including extensive surveys, system validation exercises, and desktop reviews of all available recorded information. This allowed us to carry out detailed modelling of the energy networks, leading to a number of different low carbon heat source solutions being proposed, including biofuel combined heat and power, and high temperature air source heat pumps. Working closely with the client, a
Surveys will often show general inefficiencies in existing systems, or building elements that are not fitted or working properly.
46 Health Estate Journal November 2023
rigorous evaluation and scoring process was conducted to ensure the most appropriate low carbon heat source was selected, considering everything from CAPEX, OPEX, and industry knowledge and skills, to maximising the use of clean energy – something which was of ongoing importance given the stringent targets for Net Zero in operation. After extensive consultation, the decision was made on a new low temperature district heating network that would be served by ammonia-driven, high-temperature, air source heat pumps (ASHPs) – something which was a first for the NHS nationally. In the short to medium term – allowing for existing building stock to be refurbished to a standard where it could operate at low heating medium temperatures – the ASHPs would operate alongside a high-efficiency gas-fired boiler plant, designed to overcome peak loads and times of high demand. This provided a commercial balance between reducing
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