SUSTAINABLE RETROFIT FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
HOW DIGITAL RETROFITS CAN CUT HOSPITAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION
The healthcare sector is responsible for around 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But, aging infrastructure contributes to rising maintenance backlogs, operational vulnerabilities and risks to both patient and staff safety, making efficiency improvements far more complex than in traditional buildings. According to a new study by Schneider Electric – ‘Healing
Healthcare Infrastructure: How Retrofits Impact Energy, Carbon and Cost’ – and developed in collaboration with JLL, digital retrofits can reduce total hospital energy consumption by up to 18%. In hospitals, HVAC systems and digital infrastructure 24/7 need
to perform reliably but at the same time facility teams are under growing pressure to maintain peak performance, manage rising energy demand and prevent disruption to patient care. Modelling, however, shows that digital retrofits deliver the fastest and most scalable gains, unlocking energy savings equivalent to 10,500 kWh per year, the equivalent of powering four average homes. Other key findings from the study include: Rapid financial and carbon returns; dramatic reduction in heating needs; and enhanced operational resilience – Building Management System upgrades and occupancy-based controls improved system reliability, comfort and productivity alongside energy performance. The analysis identified that digital retrofits consistently outperform physical ones across the seven global regions in the report. High impact building and power measures include: Building Management System (BMS) controls upgrade (ASHRAE Guideline 36); occupancy-based zone controls; power factor and harmonic correction; power monitoring software; power SCADA; and continuous commissioning. “Cutting hospital energy use by up to 18% is a major win when
we know these facilities run high-energy, life-saving equipment every day,” said Jean-Marc Zola, building segments president, Schneider Electric. “Hospitals carry large, fixed clinical loads, from imaging to ICU ventilation and refrigeration that you simply can’t switch off. This makes reliability a patient safety issue. Digital upgrades give facility teams real time insight and control to optimise HVAC and power systems, reduce waste, spot issues early and avoid downtime, improving comfort and resilience without disrupting clinical services.”
Schneider Electric
www.se.com/uk/en/
WASTE WATER HEAT RECOVERY REDUCES ENERGY COSTS FOR SCOTTISH SCHOOL
Kier Construction has specified Showersave’s Waste Water Heat Recovery Systems (WWHRS) for Currie Community High School, the third school in Scotland to be built to Passivhaus standards. WWHRS are designed to capture heat from shower waste water and use it to preheat incoming cold water. The WWHRS can achieve a reduction in the demand for hot water from the heat source by up to 50%, helping meet an operational target of 67 kWh/m2
/year.
Showersave systems are designed to integrate seamlessly into showers, requiring no change in behaviour from students. With no moving parts or switches, they feature a built-in overflow for safety and are fully reusable and recyclable. At Currie Community High School,
the facilities, including the pool, gym and sports hall, are all used outside of school hours, with showering facilities available after exercise. WWHRS ensure every shower taken remains warm, is more efficient while cutting CO2 emissions, and reduces energy costs. Cameron Loggenberg, technical manager at Showersave, commented: “It was
fantastic to work alongside Currie Community High School to support their journey to net zero. The integration of Showersave’s WWHRS will significantly reduce energy consumption, lower costs, and improve SAP performance.” Gerard McCluskey, mechanical engineer, added: “Showersave is an excellent addition
to Currie Community High School’s efforts to create a low-carbon, energy-efficient facility for both students and the public. The WWHRS will help ensure hot water demand does not put strain on the main heat source or drive up energy costs.” Since 2005, more than 200,000 Showersave systems have been installed across the UK and Europe.
Showersave T: 028 9334 4488
www.showersave.com SOLAR PANELS TO POWER PepsiCo’S LEICESTER LOGISTICS CENTRE
Working with Ineco Energy, solar panels are to be installed across 30,000 square metres of roof space at PepsiCo UK’s Southern Region Distribution Centre (SRDC) in Leicester, where they are expected to generate 100% of the energy needed to power the logistics centre. The 3.56 MWp solar power system is expected
to generate around 2.84 GWh of renewable electricity each year, with any surplus electricity going towards powering the Walkers crisps manufacturing plant located next door. The solar project is the latest in a series of sustainability investments across PepsiCo’s UK sites. In recent years, the company has switched to electric ovens at its site in Leicester, installed more efficient machinery on its manufacturing line in Coventry, and invested in more efficient fryers at its Brigg site, the home of Pipers crisps. Together, these three initiatives have reduced PepsiCo’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by around 2,400 tonnes a year.
Construction of the solar power system is already underway, with installation expected to be completed by September 2026. Andy Smethurst, UK Warehousing & Logistics
director at PepsiCo, said: “Leicester is already home to one of the world’s largest crisp factories, and now we’re delivering one of the most complex solar power systems, right here in the East Midlands. It’s a major milestone for PepsiCo UK and shows how we’re continuing to find new ways to power our sites and operate more sustainably.” Climate minister, Katie White, added: “We
welcome PepsiCo’s decision to embrace our rooftop solar revolution in powering their Walkers crisps distribution centre in Leicester - adding extra crunch
to our clean energy mission. It’s a great example of how businesses in Britain can cut emissions, lower bills and strengthen our energy security.”
PepsiCo Ineco Energy
www.pepsico.com
https://inecoenergy.com
www.essmag.co.uk
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Spring 2026
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