NGH delivers £20m of works to reduce its carbon footprint

Representatives from the Carbon and Energy Fund, NGH, Salix and Vital Energi standing on a staircase to the massive building-sized new heat pumps that help provide cleaner energy for the hospital.

Northampton General Hospital has delivered £20 million of major energy improvement works to reduce its carbon footprint.

The funding came from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme in March 2022 and since then the hospital has been carrying out multiple works towards becoming carbon neutral in line with NHS targets by 2040.

The most recent work has been to replace the Trust’s old steam system, which was reliant on fossil fuels, with a modern low temperature water system powered by electricity and solar panels.

It has also installed 3,500 LED lights and 81 more efficient motors that power its heating and ventilation systems.

NGH’s Director of Facilities and Estates, Paul Shead, said: “A tremendous amount of work has been done over the last three years with our partners following our successful bid to the Government for decarbonisation works.

“Our old heating and hot water system was powered by gas whereas the new system installed by Vital Energi integrates heat pumps powered by electricity and is state-of-the-art, and very clean and efficient.

“By installing the pipework for the heating system alongside the current heating and through a carefully managed programme there has been no impact on patient services during the installation period.

“Installing the new low temperature hot water system, alongside all of the other work we have done, has enabled us to make some major progress towards our decarbonisation goals and made the hospital a more environmentally friendly part of its local community.”

Part of the work has involved teaming up with energy solutions developer Vital Energi on a £15.1m replacement of the hospital’s steam infrastructure set to reduce the hospital’s carbon footprint by about 3,445 tonnes a year.

Vital Energi Account Director Steve Black, said: “The biggest challenge for this project has been to de-steam an acute hospital site whilst not impacting on patient services during our works.

“By collaborating closely with the Trust teams, we have been able to successfully transition the site from an old steam system to a modern, efficient low temperature hot water system, without impacting on clinical services.

“Once the works are complete, the Trust will have a platform upon which it can build to make achieving net zero carbon a reality, rather than a just a target.”

Grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) is administered by Salix (a non-departmental Government body) on behalf of the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Salix Relationship Manager Hira Raashid said: “As an enabler for these grant allocations, and as a liaison point for stakeholders, we are delighted to see the completed energy improvement outcomes at Northampton General Hospital after several years of work.”

Another partner in the work has been the Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF) which is a body specifically created to fund, facilitate and project manage complex energy infrastructure upgrades for the NHS and wider Public Sector. It has worked closely with the hospital to connect all of the work together.

The works themselves started in April 2022 with installations completed by the end of March 2024 and all of the final snagging and commissioning completed early this year.