Efficiency drives health board to switch lightbulbs

All 22,000 bulbs in hospitals to be replaced

How many people does it take to change all of NHS Tayside’s Hospitals’ light bulbs? We are in the dark – and so are health chiefs.

NHS Tayside has come up with the bright idea of embarking on an 18-month project to change all 22,000 lightbulbs in its buildings.

The efficiency drive is expected to lighten the cash-strapped health board’s energy bill by hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.

Work to switch over to the new, more energy-efficient bulbs has already started in Ninewells Hospital, Perth Royal Infirmary and Stracathro Hospital.

However, in a disappointing twist for punch-line fans, a spokeswoman for the NHS could not shed much light on just how many people will be involved, saying there are no designated lightbulb changers.

The illuminating programme is part of a 25-year project between NHS Tayside and Vital Energi, and is entirely funded through The Carbon and Energy Fund project, at no cost to the NHS.

It is expected to significantly reduce NHS Tayside’s carbon energy emissions, working towards meeting national environmental targets set by the Scottish Government.

As well as swapping 22,000 bulbs by hand, the project also includes the installation of a combined heat and power plant as part of an overall refurbishment of the energy centre at Ninewells Hospital, which will provide 90% of all power and heating for the hospital.

New boilers, building management systems, lighting and pipework insulation will be installed and the efficiency of cooling systems will also be improved.

The initial part of the project, due to end in December next year, will be completed in phases on all three sites and will include a range of improvements.

These include the replacement of more than 17,000 light sources at Ninewells, 4,800 light sources at PRI and around 300 light sources at Stracathro. Developed in partnership with Carbon and Energy Fund, Health Facilities Scotland and the Central Legal Office the project follows a substantial energy and infrastructure review of the acute hospital sites across NHS Tayside to consider energy and infrastructure improvements.

Energy Services Company (ESCo) Vital Energi will carry out the work programme in partnership with NHS Tayside’s Property Department.