In July 2022, the NHS made a major commitment to decarbonisation, and its landmark pledge to achieve Net Zero by 2040 was a world-first for health services.
Healthcare is one of the nation’s highest energy-consuming industries, with the NHS responsible for 4% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. With the total energy bill for NHS Trusts standing at over £1.5 bn for 2022/23, there is a huge opportunity for healthcare institutions, public and private, to implement an affordable and accessible energy action plan that reduces waste, bills, and carbon emissions. With this plan in place, healthcare organisations can put money back into what matters the most – excellent patient care
However, how can NHS Trusts and other healthcare bodies start or continue their Net Zero journey at a time when sustainability targets are widely viewed as too expensive, and at times, seemingly impossible? Also, how can they best track and measure Net Zero progress with volatile energy prices and slashed budgets? Evidently, it’s a challenge that requires collaboration, including private sector expertise, finance, and technology to support them.
Eliminating energy waste to make Net Zero affordable With the emergence of the reporting requirements of NHS Green Plans and ERIC returns in recent years, many NHS Trust executives have started to collate energy consumption and carbon emission data. However, one important metric not recorded in either is the amount of energy wasted. Wasted energy can be defined as energy that is not essential for the delivery of services, and typical figures estimate this to be above 30% of many organisations’ total energy use. All organisations and individuals ‘waste’ energy, and because wastage isn’t reported or measured, it is often an area overlooked. Eliminating energy waste can help NHS Trusts meet Net Zero targets while simultaneously making considerable savings. The cheapest kilowatt is the one you never use.
On the path to Net Zero, building energy is the single largest area that health estates and facilities can influence. This makes up nearly half (41%) of the NHS Carbon Footprint. With 93% of the total NHS building energy use linked to hospitals in the UK, this must be a clear focus. Changing hospital infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions sounds like a difficult and expensive task, but taking action to decrease emissions does not necessarily require major upfront capital investments. There are options that allow energy savings to pay this back as a monthly service, without having to pay any upfront capital.
One of the quickest and easiest ways for healthcare organisations to decrease emissions is to upgrade their lighting infrastructure and install LED luminaires. The use of outdated lighting such as halogen and fluorescent bulbs is widespread across the healthcare estate, and generates significant amounts of unnecessary energy use. Pending UK legislation changes later this year will force the need to adopt change.
The 24/7 nature of hospitals means that lighting demands are complex, with specific areas of buildings having variable lighting requirements. However, in many healthcare settings, a lot of lights are left on unnecessarily – in hospitals, for example, empty storage rooms and corridors may have lights that are continuously on. By installing LED lighting with energy-efficient bulbs and occupancy sensors or timers, energy wastage can be minimised, with lights only on when they are required.
Spire set to realise £2.1 m saving over 10 years
Replacing older lighting with newer LED systems is a quick and cost-effective solution. Private hospital group, Spire Healthcare, found that upgrading to an energy-efficient lighting system across eight hospitals reduced its total carbon emissions to such an extent that it will realise net savings of £2.1 m over 10 years. What’s more, by installing LED lighting, healthcare organisations will observe a large decrease in the time afforded to maintain and replace lighting fixtures, both internal and external. This allows maintenance staff to deal with more urgent matters in supporting patient care
Inefficient lighting is of course just one of the many ways that hospitals generate significant amounts of energy waste. A variety of equipment used by healthcare professionals is not energy-efficient by design, and unused equipment is often left running when not in use. What’s more, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can lead to excessive waste of energy due to poor maintenance and misuse.
Behavioural change
Behavioural change is a crucial and inexpensive way to reduce energy waste within healthcare environments. Healthcare professionals can implement protocols for all staff to power down equipment, control its overheating and overcooling, ensure regular maintenance and calibration of thermostats, and set up equipment to enter ‘sleep mode’ when not in use – all of which can save a considerable amount of energy, carbon, and cost.
Simple processes like the implementation of staff protocols can cut phantom power consumption – such as equipment that consumes energy even when not in use – and inefficient practices that often exist in healthcare environments. However, to do this properly, healthcare leaders need to understand what energy is being wasted, and how to fix it.
The power of intelligent metering
Understanding when, where, and how energy is consumed is key to achieving Net Zero. Intelligent metering enables Facilities managers, directors, and CEOs, to identify and monitor energy usage and visualise energy data down to an individual circuit level. Access to granular insights, combined with a comprehensive understanding of energy use, lay the groundwork for smarter decision-making. This allows decision-makers to have greater insight in understanding their energy consumption profile, to identify the options and project interventions to invest resources in
We worked with UK Biocentre, a non-profit organisation that played an instrumental role in COVID-19 testing, and has grown rapidly in the last few years, to support biosample processing and storage for clients in the academic, industrial, and health services. During the pandemic, UK Biocentre needed to quickly understand how to make the existing testing process more energy efficient. Our team of engineers installed 40 sensors, three communication bridges, and one power meter across The National Biosample Centre in Milton Keynes within four days. Energy measurement technology was also installed in 26 different machines to capture machine-level data that led to the identification of three energy efficiency projects that are significantly reducing the energy used by them.
Shining a light on building efficiency in real time
By shining a light on building efficiency in real time, and understanding energy consumption and wastage, healthcare leaders can make informed decisions about how to proceed on their Net Zero journey, and how to create behaviour change in their organisations. Most of the businesses we work with save up to 10% just by making small behavioural interventions.
It’s no surprise that healthcare Estate directors, Trust CEOs, and CFOs, often feel unsure about the energy-saving options that are best for their facility, providing the ‘best bang for their buck’. There are so many options available, and it can often feel overwhelming. This is because each estate and facility has unique and varied infrastructure, and healthcare buildings host a variety of energy-consuming assets – there is no one-size-fits-all approach to reducing carbon emissions and cost.
Of course there’s the option to upgrade the machinery and equipment used to more energy-efficient models to help lower electricity bills – but this isn’t always possible due to budget limitations. Instead, healthcare organisations can leverage and monetise existing facilities.
Healthcare sites can become self-generating through the adoption of solar PV technology. Hospitals often have large and flat roofs, meaning they offer an excellent base for installing solar PV systems for example.
One Trust that we are currently working with, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, is in the process of installing a 95.7 kWp solar system for Chase Farm Hospital. The system is projected to generate 85,529 kWh of electricity per year, and will result in a saving of £398,000, whilst reducing carbon emissions by 16.5 tCO2e annually.
Monetising existing assets with EV
For the NHS to meet its ambitious Net Zero commitments, Trusts will also need to transition to a fully zero emission fleet, which is why such a move forms an integral part of most NHS Trusts’ Green Plans. Investing in EV charging infrastructure has swiftly become a necessity. Healthcare environments need to provide reliable infrastructure for EVs – from helping to power connected ambulances and other EV vehicles, to offering charging infrastructure for healthcare staff and visitors. Yet, there’s still work to be done. In 2021/22, ERIC returns showed that there were only 2,396 EV charging points out of 460,135 parking spaces in the NHS. Healthcare organisations are missing an opportunity to monetise EV charge points and offer staff perks to attract and retain top talent.
EV solutions turbocharged Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust’s journey towards a greener future at Queen Alexandra Hospital. With a total of 18 chargers – 8 for the public and 10 designated for staff – EV drivers are now experiencing a seamless charging service, and a tiered tariff system has led to the successful promotion of off-site parking. The Trust now possesses realtime capability to track EV utilisation, carbon savings, and energy costs, aiding the creation of a robust business plan for further EV expansion. Significant financial savings have been realised, alongside a considerable reduction in carbon emissions, demonstrating the Trust’s commitment to sustainability.
Now is the time for healthcare estates professionals to look ahead and prepare as EV demand continues to increase. With the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), a significant challenge arose for Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust and its workforce. The new emission standards equated to daily charges of up to £17 for non-compliant vehicles. Creating an added expense threatens to increase commuting costs for employees, and amplifies the need for building EV charging infrastructure at the hospital.
To meet this challenge head-on, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust decided to adopt EV charging solutions, and 14 state-of-the-art 22 kW EV charge points were installed at strategic locations around the hospital, simplifying the charging process, reducing costs, and setting a new benchmark for energy efficiency.
While early days, it is hoped that the introduction of the eCharge EV charging solution will revolutionise the Trust’s transportation landscape. The charge points installed cater for the hospital’s diverse EV charging needs, and provide a countermeasure to the financial burden imposed by the ULEZ expansion on its employees.the 2040 Net Zero target is central to the long-term future of the NHS. But as Estates managers and CEOs in both the public and private health sector plan their path to reaching Net Zero, they have been presented with the challenge of stretched budgets that are close to breaking point. Energy wastage is exacerbating the issue, and it can be difficult to capitalise on renewable upgrades.
However, Trusts and private healthcare providers can invest in renewable energy easily, helping to save money and reduce emissions in the long term, with no upfront cost. Service-based models are available that allow the cost of infrastructure to pay for itself through the savings that it makes, and healthcare organisations can leverage assets that already exist to generate renewable energy.
Having the ability to visualise areas of healthcare buildings that are using unnecessary amounts of energy and creating unnecessary wastage through intelligent metering, as well as identifying areas of opportunity – such as the implementation of solar panels and EV charge points, can result in health estates becoming more energy-resilient
Meeting Net Zero challenges together
eEnergy helps NHS Trusts by offering them the best energy procurement, providing expert advice to arrange the lowest energy price based on the unique needs of each hospital and site.
In an extremely volatile energy market, establishing a secure supplier agreement that is fit for purpose for now and in the future is key. Healthcare estate directors, Trust CEOs, and CFOs, can partner with energy procurement teams who can advise on when and how to buy energy, and help them better understand their risk profile.
There is an added level of complexity on top of energy market volatility – Trusts seeking to reduce energy consumption through energy efficiency and onsite solar, while adding energy to power EV charge points. Healthcare organisations have the power to transform their buildings into sustainable powerhouses, and they don’t need to reach Net Zero commitments in isolation. Through the power of collaboration, healthcare stakeholders can boost energy efficiency while focusing on delivering excellent patient care. It is this collaboration that will help both public and private sector healthcare organisations navigate uncertain conditions that may continue for years to come. For the NHS to achieve its Net Zero target, implementing longterm agreements to best navigate an uncertain market is the bottom line.
eEnergy provides comprehensive energy-as-a-service solutions, transforming hospitals, GP practices, and care homes into sustainable powerhouses by addressing energy waste and making Net Zero possible. We fast-track the transition to cleaner energy through our energy procurement services, on-site solar energy adoption, EV charging integration, and advanced LED lighting, while optimising consumption through the MY ZeERO energy analytics platform, all with options for no upfront cost.
Neil Campbell
Neil Campbell is an accomplished Chief Sales officer, whose ‘mission’ is ‘to help propel public sector partners on their journey to achieve Net Zero’. He joined eEnergy in May 2022, and has since championed the importance of data in re-shaping the energy landscapes of the healthcare and education sectors. He is primarily responsible for offering actionable insights at every stage of the energy efficiency journey, ‘verifying realworld savings, and maximising impact’.