HEATING, VENTILATION & AIR CONDITIONING


Healthcare facilities could cut emissions by up to 30% through building optimisation


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Optimising energy, ventilation, and water systems in healthcare facilities is critical to significantly reducing emissions while maintaining operational performance, according to new research conducted by Evalueserve


he research identifies three persistent challenges in healthcare buildings – excessive energy use, poor air quality management, and water wastage – all of which can be significantly improved through


targeted optimisation. Healthcare buildings are among the most


resource-intensive environments in the built sector, operating continuously under strict air quality, hygiene, and reliability requirements. These conditions place sustained pressure on energy, water and ventilation systems, particularly in ageing facilities where inefficiencies are often embedded in legacy infrastructure. The research indicates that energy consumption across healthcare facilities can be reduced by up to 30% through improved system integration and optimisation. According to NHS England, the healthcare industry is estimated to account for 40% of public sector emissions in England, with building- related energy use, water consumption, waste and refrigerants responsible for a significant proportion of that footprint.


UK initiatives including the NHS Net Zero Strategy and Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme mean that healthcare facilities are under increasing pressure to modernise infrastructure and improve efficiency in both retrofit and new projects. Excessive energy use remains one of the most significant challenges. Adoption of digital building management systems enables more accurate monitoring and control of HVAC and associated plant, helping facilities match supply with demand, reduce waste and identify faults earlier. Air quality requirements present a second major challenge. High air change rates are essential for infection control but drive significant heating and cooling demand, while inefficient ventilation in older systems can risk air mixing. Energy recovery ventilation systems help address this by transferring heat from exhaust to incoming air, reducing overall energy use while maintaining compliance. Water wastage is a further concern, particularly in facilities with ageing infrastructure and high demand for sanitation, sterilisation, and cooling. Measures such as low-flow technologies, pressure optimisation, leak detection and water reuse strategies – including greywater recycling – can significantly reduce consumption while maintaining hygiene and operational performance.


Evalueserve’s research suggests that the


strongest performance improvements are achieved when these systems are addressed through a coordinated strategy, reflecting the interdependence between energy, ventilation and water systems in complex healthcare environments.


Commenting on the findings, Ross Crighton, senior aftermarket sales manager for Grundfos Commercial Building Services, North West Europe, said: “Healthcare buildings operate under some of the most demanding technical conditions of any built environment. This research reinforces that the biggest gains come from how systems work together – when energy, ventilation and water services are optimised in a coordinated way, it is possible to reduce environmental impact while maintaining the reliability these facilities depend on. “In many healthcare facilities, inefficiencies


are not the result of a single system failure, but of how systems interact over time. Taking an integrated approach to building services, supported by better data and system visibility, allows operators to move from reactive maintenance to predictive, performance- led management, which is essential for both sustainability and long-term asset resilience.” As demands on healthcare infrastructure


grow, building services optimisation is becoming a central consideration in the design, operation and retrofit of healthcare facilities – with learnings applicable to other high-demand building types.


The full report is available at: https://


product-selection.grundfos.com/uk/industries/ healthcare?tab=Explore The research was commissioned by Grundfos and carried out independently by Evalueserve as part of ongoing analysis into the role of building services in improving sustainability performance across complex building environments.


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5/5/26 08:58 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JULY 2026 7


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