Abstract

Energy consumed for heating and cooling in healthcare estates accounts for 40 per cent of all direct carbon emissions – making it one of the greatest challenges facing the healthcare sector in meeting its net-zero ambitions.

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust recognises this challenge and is faced with implementing low- carbon solutions for an estate where 65 per cent of the buildings were built before 1974. 

The Trust has received more than £60m of grant funding and is now part way through ambitious plans to reduce carbon emissions by between 65 and 70 per cent across its three sites by: installing low-carbon enabling infrastructure for heat generation; improving thermal efficiencies to eradicate summer overheating and winter cold; developing environments for better patient outcomes and staff welfare; embedding new skills for the next generation; and creating a cleaner, healthier environment for local economies. Achieving these goals has required commitment and openness from the Trust’s stakeholders, a drive to demonstrate innovation adoption can work, and a pragmatic outlook in a complex commercial structure.

Having secured and delivered more than 10 per cent of LCSF3 (Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund) funding for clients in 2022, and further success from LCSF4, Lexica will be discussing the challenges, lessons learned, and developments required to enable the healthcare sector to achieve net zero.