Hospital goes green thanks to new £3.2m energy centre
It will help the trust reduce costs in long term
Scarborough Hospital has moved towards being more energy efficient following a multi-million pound investment.
On Thursday last week, national NHS Sustainability Day, the official opening and handover of the refurbished, low-carbon Energy Centre at Scarborough Hospital took place.
It was delivered by Vital Energi.
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is committed to reducing its carbon footprint through the work of its Sustainable Development Group. The refurbishment of the Scarborough Hospital energy centre will help make a large step towards reducing the Trust’s carbon footprint.
The £3.2m project will achieve guaranteed savings of £512,000 in the first year - a 31 per cent reduction on current energy bills and operating costs. Over the course of 15 years the guaranteed savings will be in excess of £9m.
The upgrade at Scarborough includes improved boiler control and the installation of a combined heat and power (CHP) unit which will make a significant contribution to reducing carbon emissions, as well as significant savings to the hospital’s energy costs. Carbon emissions are projected to be cut by 2,130 tonnes a year, a reduction of around 38 per cent.
The unit will supply all of the hospital’s night time electricity, over 70% of its day time electricity and make a substantial contribution to the heating and hot water supply.
The energy centre was of- ficially opened by the Trust’s chief executive, Patrick Crowley. Patrick was joined by Brian Golding, director of estates and facilities, members of the Scarborough Hospital estates team and representatives from Vital Energi, including joint managing director, Ian Whitelock.
Brian Golding, director of estates and facilities, explains: “As an organisation, we are very much aware of sustainability issues and are committed to reducing our environmental impact. Our sustainable development group ensures that we are consistently addressing energy consumption across all our hospitals, looking at everything from light bulbs through to the design of new buildings.
“In 2014 we completed a major energy saving and carbon reduction project at York Hospital using a Carbon and Energy Fund Framework with Vital Energi, and last year we completed a major reduction project at Bridlington Hospital. Including the refurbishment here at Scarborough Hospital, the overall project will offer over £26.5m guaranteed saving for the Trust – money which will be reinvested into patient care.
“Across the three sites, carbon emissions are projected to be cut by 5,800 tonnes a year, a reduction of around 27.6 per cent.”