Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust aiming to become one of the first in the country to be net zero

Hull University Teaching Hospitals has received a £12.6 million grant as part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to install several energy-efficient technologies across its two hospitals. The project, forms part of the Trust’s major green agenda, aiming to become one of the first in the country to be net zero, pledging to hit the target by 2030 as part of its ‘Zero Thirty’ agenda, ten years ahead of NHS England’s net zero target for hospitals. Part of the funding has gone towards the ‘Field of Dreams’ project, which is made up of 11,000 solar panels, covering an area approximately four times the size of Wembley Stadium.

The project saw over 22,000 light fittings replaced with SMART LED lighting across a period of 8 months at Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital, and across several smaller hospital sites around the city. As well as reducing carbon emissions, this project will help improve lighting levels throughout the Trust’s buildings which will benefit staff, patients, and visitors. Furthermore, Hull University Teaching Hospitals have also replaced their inefficient water networks, whilst spending in the region of £1.4 million on upgrading their Building Management Systems (BMS). Not only has this project helped the Trust lower its energy bills by approximately £1.4 million, but it is estimated that it will reduce annual carbon emissions by 1,015 tonnes. The Trust will also be switching to sustainable suppliers and only using those suppliers who disclose their carbon emissions.

The Trust also uses several electric vehicles as part of their hospital fleet which moves goods and supplies between sites, whilst also encouraging staff to use more sustainable modes of transport including cycling. The Trust also offers a salary sacrifice scheme to its workers through which they can purchase cycles.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals is also in the process of investing in 31 electric charging points for vehicles from December until the end of March 2022 across both sites. It also works with local bus companies to lower staff carbon emissions by providing free use of the two bus routes that go between the two hospitals for staff, together with free use of the park and ride to the Hull Royal Infirmary site.

Other intentions to go green include stopping landfill usage by 2025, reducing anaesthetic gas emissions by 50% by 2025 and slashing building emissions in half by 2028.

Find out more about Hull University Teaching Hospitals Trust’s Zero30 agenda here http://zero30.uk

Technical breakdown

• The installation of 11,000 solar panels which cover 8 hectares of land near Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham.
• The replacement of 22,000 light bulbs with SMART LED lighting.
• 6.5 kilometres of HV cabling from the North of Hull.
• The replacement of their inefficient water networks with new chillers with free cooling.
• The upgrading of their Business Management Systems (BMS) which in some cases have become smart buildings.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme 

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is funded by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and delivered by Salix Finance.
 
The scheme was made available for capital energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects within public sector non-domestic buildings, including central government departments and non-departmental public bodies in England only, to deliver the following objectives.

1. Deliver stimulus to the energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation sectors, supporting jobs.
2. Deliver significant carbon savings within the public sector.

Click here to download the case study.