SUSTAINABILITY


Efficient heating and cooling’s Net Zero role


Ross Giles, Business leader for Trane UK, considers some of the innovations in heating and cooling that offer hospitals a wide array of mechanisms to decarbonise their buildings while simultaneously reducing operating costs.


Right: A Trane XStream RTWF water-cooled chiller.


The design and operation of buildings impact the cost of care, resiliency, sustainability, public perception, and – most importantly – patient outcomes. With this in mind, healthcare facilities – perhaps more than any other type of building due to their societal role – should aim to implement the most efficient and sustainable cooling and heating systems. By doing this they will also work towards maximising the efficiencies and the potential of their building. Innovation in heating and cooling offers hospitals a wide array of mechanisms to decarbonise their buildings while reducing operating costs. These range from large heat pumps for building temperature control, and close temperature control chillers for medical equipment and hospital server rooms, to air-handling units (AHUs) – integral components of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems that regulate indoor air quality, temperature, and humidity. AHUs can play a major role in decarbonising hospitals by adopting sustainable practices, technologies, and materials – such as variable frequency drives (VFDs), high grade filters, and heat recovery devices, which significantly improve energy efficiency. On top of that, innovative heat pump systems enable the electrification of heating and the repurposing of wasted thermal energy, aiding the transition from fossil fuels, and helping to meet ambitious sustainability targets.


Trane Sintesis Prime RTAF air-cooled chillers.


Towards Net Zero carbon emissions in healthcare It is evident that hospitals and healthcare facilities all over the world are eager to change, but they require guidance on what is possible and how to achieve it. Accelerating


and scaling the use of combined heating and cooling, advancing system-level efficiency, utilising renewable energy sources, leveraging waste heat recovery technology, and transitioning to next-generation low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, are some of the most impactful areas of focus. The NHS has been a pioneer, becoming the world’s


first health service to commit to reaching Net Zero in carbon emissions. This goal not only aims for greater sustainability, but also enhances resilience in the face of fluctuating energy prices. As the NHS accounts for about 4 per cent1


of the UK’s national greenhouse


gas emissions, decarbonising healthcare facilities can significantly contribute to the country’s decarbonisation efforts. By 2040, the NHS aims to eliminate net emissions from the sources under its control, with an interim target of 80% reduction by 2032.2


To achieve these


objectives, the service launched an ambitious programme encompassing everything from improving building fabrics to replacing outdated lighting with LEDs. However, the most significant contributor to achieving its Net Zero will be the decarbonisation of heating, and the repurposing of wasted thermal energy. Emissions from hot water and space heating systems reportedly account for 80% of the NHS’s direct greenhouse gas emissions. When gas boilers were first installed, they represented a healthier and more efficient improvement over previous solutions, such as hospital incinerators that provided heat. However, gas boilers are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and a large contributor of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions in the UK, which have been linked to worsening respiratory conditions.


Electrified thermal management systems The need for greater efficiency, lower emissions, and healthier air quality – while still providing the necessary heat and hot water for hospital operations – has led to the greater adoption of electrified thermal management systems. These innovative heat pump technologies can provide heating and cooling simultaneously, or autonomously. Unlike gas boilers, which burn fossil fuel to generate heat and hot water, heat pumps extract or transfer latent energy from the ground or air in a clean, highly efficient process.


108 Health Estate Journal October 2025


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