AIR SOURCE & GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
Heat pumps drive smarter low carbon hospital heating
Heat pumps can provide greener, lower- carbon infrastructures for hospitals with tangible data to back up performance metrics. Evidence from European as well as UK projects show they are fast becoming a cornerstone in the decarbonisation of healthcare estates
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cknowledging the scale of its environmental impact – the NHS is one of the UK’s largest carbon contributors with some estimates citing 40% - it has committed to
meaningful reductions of carbon and is playing a leading role in addressing the impacts of climate change.
Recognising the need to align with worldwide sustainability goals whilst mitigating the effects of climate change on public health in 2020 the NHS became the world’s first health system to commit to reaching Net Zero emissions by 2040. This set the NHS on fast paced trajectory
of reform and innovation. It is significantly reducing its carbon footprint to reach net zero whilst improving patients’ health, employees and members of the public interacting with the service.
Decarbonising hospital estates is one of the biggest and most complex challenges facing hospital trusts across the UK. Heat pumps are identified as central technology to achieve this aim across large and complex buildings The NHS is committed to decarbonising every aspect of its healthcare services, from the supply chains through to their estates. Various strategies are being adopted to reduce their environmental impact whilst delivering tangible cost saving measures that also improving health benefits for patients and employees. Trusts across the UK are proactive, drawing on varied approaches. All trusts have sustainability agendas and a comprehensive road map of interventions that covers the entire estate from making buildings more energy efficient waste management, reducing carbon emissions of anaesthetic gases to improving biodiversity. Buildings account for a significant proportion of carbon emissions. Factor in the varied size, age and condition of buildings and you can see that a roadmap for every site is an essential. Energy saving initiatives cover many visible projects such as the installation of photovoltaics (PVs) to generate electricity and energy efficient LED lighting. But the focus on transitioning to low carbon technologies also addresses the non-visible projects such as the HVAC infrastructure. With a move aware from gas and less reliance on fossil fuels, there is a move towards the installation of air source heat pumps (ASHPs).
In many respects the NHS has taken the lead in adopting newer technologies to reduce carbon emissions. Heat pump technology is being deployed across many trusts. The University Hospital of Hartlepool on
Teesside was one of the earliest adopters of heat pump technology along with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London. Many others include hospitals in Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham as heat pumps gained traction and entered mainstream planning. One of the key trends is replacing aged chillers with heat pump chillers to enable simultaneous heating and cooling, which is one of the strongest arguments for heat pumps in hospitals as this is exactly where they outperform traditional boiler-chiller configurations.
Upgrading estate and facilities is just one aspect as all new NHS buildings are designed to be fossil fuel free with heat pumps as the primary heat source with gas boilers steadily being replaced.
Heat pump technology is a popular choice not just for maximising energy efficiencies. The technology is efficient, delivers low carbon emissions and offers lower maintenance costs.
Benefits
• Reliable heating, cooling and hot water • Energy cost reductions • Flexible • Lower maintenance costs • Reduced carbon emissions
Health care sectors across the globe are replicating the NHS’ approach and implementing heat pump systems recognising that they offer compelling alternatives to gas for reliable heating and cooling and solving multiple estate-level issues. The presence of RACC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) in some health estates has created an unexpected opportunity to migrate towards a more energy efficient HVAC infrastructure. The associated costs of removing RACC has triggered the re- building of some facilities. In alignment with the NHS commitment to net zero, as part of the specifications, estates have placed greater emphasis on reducing costs, energy and carbon emissions, resulting in the specification
of the latest heat pump, chiller and air handling technologies. Their specification delivers measurable outcomes as well as provide energy-efficient HVAC systems that are fit for the future.
One of the latest ‘fit for future’ facilities is the new outpatient facility at Stoke-on-Trent’s Haywood Hospital in Burslem.
Haywood Hospital is part of the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT). The previous outpatients building at Haywood, demolished in 2023, contained RAAC within its roof. Whilst MPFT was allocated £17.4 million through NHS England’s national RAAC eradication programme to conduct this work, the Trust took the decision to replace the facility. This has required additional funding, sourced from local capital allocations. A modern purpose-built outpatients’ facility is being developed that will provide a multi-disciplinary unit. It will accommodate services such as rheumatology, diagnostics, physiotherapy, scanning room and therapy gym along with a new reception, waiting room, staff facilities and offices. The new fit for the future facility will support the best delivery of care for patients. Hospitals face requirements to reduce CO2 emissions. So as part of its net zero strategy, MPFT looked to improve the performance of its building services to reduce energy wastage. By leveraging the latest technologies to maximise gains in energy management, efficient construction methods are being used, and the expanse of the roof top space will be accommodating 820m2 of Photovoltaic Panels (PV) and Aermec heat pumps have been selected for the provision of air conditioning, space heating and domestic hot water. The healthcare industry in England generates in the region of 18 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Significant energy wastage is generated by poorly performing buildings. Reducing energy usage can have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions whilst saving money in the long term as well as improve healthcare efficiency. Aermec was enthusiastic to be a part of MPFT’s forward thinking strategy to reduce the carbon footprint and promote environmental stewardship whilst providing a facility that can deliver high quality care for patients.
Collaborative approach
Collaborative relationships can help align projects with the end user’s goals, funding streams and can provide opportunities to achieve greater efficiencies and budgetary savings. Aermec worked closely with mechanical and electrical engineers CPW, a low carbon consultancy that focuses on designing zero carbon buildings. CPW provided the MEP design (mechanical. Electrical and plumbing) advice and assessment for BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) with a goal of achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating, compliance with Part L building regulations that stipulates buildings should be built with the aim of increasing the conservation of fuel and power and TM52 thermal comfort analysis which evaluates the risks of overheating and can aid building designers to minimise energy consumption. The selection process resulted in 4-pipe multipurpose units, 2-pipe reversible Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and high temperature water source heat pumps (WSHPs). The multipurpose NRP units were specified as part of the MEP design as they are the ideal choice for modern buildings that have a heating and cooling requirement all year round. The 4-pipe system comprises independent
circuits which enables it to deliver heating and cooling at the same time or separately, offering
28 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER SEPTEMBER 2026 Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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