ENERGY GENERATION
Heat pumps can be key to a ‘decarbonised’ future
Michael Anderton, General manager, UK & I, of HVAC Building Solutions at Johnson Controls, says that against the backdrop of the NHS drive toward a Net Zero health service, heat pumps could have a key role as a primary source of generation in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, replacing fossil fuel boilers in the generation of heat.
The climate emergency is also a looming healthcare emergency unless we see urgent action. As healthcare buildings account for no less than 40% of emissions, reimagining the built environment around us is a priority like never before. The NHS alone produces around 4% of the UK’s annual emissions, so it is clear that it has a critical role to play in improving its own carbon footprint, and the efficiency of its building stock, all while striving to improve healthcare outcomes. This is not a straightforward ‘to do’ list. As spelled out in its bold strategy to
become the world’s first ‘Net Zero’ national health service, sustainable transformation across the NHS lies at the heart of the UK’s climate change response. However, with hospital Trusts in the grip of inflationary pressures and rocketing rises in energy bills, the drive to boost energy efficiency, sustainability, and healthy buildings, runs a real risk of slipping down the agenda – and these aren’t the only barriers to tackling the issues. The NHS has a truly vast and ageing building stock, with wide variation in type, construction size, and legacy
systems. Confronting these challenges in all their complexity is an enormous but vital task if we want to see real progress in practice.
Optimising where it matters most One tangible solution lies in reducing operating costs and optimising in the places where it matters most. Heating and cooling make up almost 50% of a building’s energy consumption in both residential and commercial buildings. To reduce energy consumption and limit costs, our buildings would naturally seem like a good place to start. Heat pumps are a vital element
in reaching a decarbonised future. The Carbon Trust found that heat pumps have the potential to deliver CO2
savings
of up to 70% compared with conventional electric heating, and up to 65% compared with an ‘A-rated’ gas boiler. There’s no doubt that delivering better outcomes in energy efficiency is essential if we’re ever going to move from pledges to progress, but what could the future impact be on the provision of healthcare services?
Equally, how do businesses know what’s best for them, and where investments will truly deliver return on investment?
Money matters – the case for transformation It was announced last year that hospital Trusts in England face ‘eye-watering’ rises in energy bills of £2 m a month each due to the fuel price surge. The government recently announced a six-month emergency energy price cap to help hospitals reduce the price paid for energy, as bills continue to soar, but while this is welcome news, hospitals and healthcare organisations cannot rely on government support alone, nor live in hope that oil and gas prices will fall significantly in the near future. It’s important for the wellbeing of the public that hospitals and other healthcare facilities are operating at their maximum efficiency. There is a definite added benefit for healthcare that benefits both staff and patients. Healthcare environments may be improved with energy-saving innovations like LED lighting by making them more comfortable and manageable. Additionally, reducing emissions will help to lessen the negative effects of climate change on human health; in the UK, air pollution alone is responsible for 1 in 20 deaths, and an increase in cancer, heart disease, and asthma cases.
Michael Anderton says: “The growing momentum towards Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 is likely to accelerate the replacement of fossil-fuelled boilers with heat pumps.”
64 Health Estate Journal September 2023
‘We need to get smart’ To build facilities anchored in efficiency to improve staff and patient experiences, we need to get to ‘smart’ hospitals, where clinics and hospitals are secure, comfortable, and efficient, so that patient outcomes can improve and satisfaction increase. Smart hospitals create healing environments, and improve overall efficiency, through data-enabled solutions that respond to the needs of patients, staff, and visitors. An optimised and integrated infrastructure streamlines communications and workflow, and it’s also an investment that contributes to future outcomes –
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