CARBON AND ENERGY REDUCTION
The authors say: “In the UK, the grid is operating at close to capacity, and complete electrification
of existing building stock could require a 400% increase in the grid’s capacity.”
that if electricity generation no longer relies on fossil fuels, then electrifying processes in existing building stock will decarbonise those buildings step-by-step, as more and more electricity is generated by renewable power sources, replacing the use of fossil fuels at both the source and the point of use.
Problems with the theory Unfortunately, there are problems with this theory. In the UK, the grid is operating at close to capacity, and complete electrification of existing building stock could require a 400% increase in the grid’s capacity. Furthermore, although renewable
James Thomson
James Thomson, Deputy head of Digital Engineering for Building Services at Ramboll UK, cites his primary focus as supporting the implementation, and influencing the direction of, Ramboll’s digital engineering strategy. He works with the UK Building Services Team ‘to unlock the potential of digital through a harmonised digital engineering environment’. His role involves managing and supporting strategic development – from identifying opportunities to develop on projects, to addressing engineering fundamentals through focused development internally. He has ‘a passion for upskilling engineers in the ways of digital work’, including via parametric modelling workflows, visual programming, traditional programming, analytical model consolidation, and growing general development skills within his team.
decarbonising existing building stock. The restrictions imposed by limits to the UK’s electrical grid will also mean that relying solely on electrification is not a realistic option. However, embracing new technologies such as digital building tools can make this challenging undertaking possible, and provide the healthcare sector with the most effective and cost-efficient route to decarbonising existing buildings.
A grid at capacity To achieve Net Zero carbon targets, it will be important to convert processes that currently run on fossil fuels, such as natural gas, to electrified systems. Simply put, there are no renewable sources of fossil fuels, whereas electricity can be, and increasingly is, generated renewably. In fact, the International Energy Agency predicts that under existing policies and market conditions, global renewable capacity is forecast to reach 7,300 GW by 2028. This growth trajectory would see global capacity increase to 2.5 times its current level by 2030. As a result, it is understandable why the electrification
of healthcare buildings might seem like the fastest route to decarbonising healthcare estates. After all, it follows
generation capacity is increasing rapidly, these renewable power sources also need to be connected to the grid, and that is not happening nearly as quickly. The process of connecting new power sources to the grid is complex, demanding specialist expertise and significant investment, in addition to what ultimately amounts to a fundamental change in strategy from those responsible for running the grid. The result of this is that in the UK, and indeed elsewhere
across the globe, major new renewable power sources such as a wind farm off the coast of Scotland, which will produce more electricity annually than both of Britain’s largest coal-fired power stations combined, is not yet providing any electricity to the wider electrical grid. This wind farm is far from a unique case, and it currently takes an average of four years for a new supplier to be connected to the grid. There are bureaucratic steps that could be taken to reduce this wait time, with current regulations requiring work that could be done simultaneously to be carried out sequentially. However, even so, the technical challenges and financial costs will remain a significant obstacle to increasing the capacity of the grid through the introduction
Decarbonising existing building stock across healthcare estates is not just a challenge for the sector; it is also an opportunity, the authors say.
54 Health Estate Journal November 2024
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