The Gloucestershire Royal Hospital development has added a variety of low-carbon energy solutions to reduce the trust’s carbon footprint by approximately 1,400 tonnes a year
Vital Energi are implementing a range of low-carbon energy solutions at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital development as part of an £11.2m contract which will considerably reduce the carbon footprint Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation and deliver financial savings.
The 11-storey concrete Tower Block building at the hospital, built in the 1970s, is one of the most visible buildings in Gloucester.
Upgrades to the Tower Block will reduce heat loss and lower energy usage
The Tower Block upgrade works, working on all four sides of the building from the ground floor to the 11th, will enhance the patient and staff experience through increased natural light, improved ventilation, and reductions in external noise levels, and the two-toned façade panelling will improve the aesthetics of the building.
The heating systems will be replaced, as will the windows with triple glazing windows to optimise temperature and heat retention across the building.
The project also includes the installation of a 200kW air source heat pump, which will provide low carbon heat to the hospital, as well as upgrades to the heating and hot water controls systems which will further reduce energy usage and carbon emissions.
Onsite construction and engineering works are due to commence on site in March 2023
The project received grant funding from PSDS Phase 3a and will be delivered through the Carbon and Energy Fund Framework (CEF), which has been specifically created to fund complex energy infrastructure upgrades for public sector organisations.
Vital Energi development engineering manager, Rolf Hudson, is playing a key role in the design and delivery of the project.
“We’re really pleased to be working on our second round of PSDS (Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme) projects with the Trust, assisting their journey to net zero carbon by 2040 under a new long-term energy performance contract. We’ve designed an optimum solution which will significantly reduce the hospital’s carbon emissions and energy bills, as well as providing increased levels of staff and patient comfort,” said Rolf.
“We have an extensive track record of delivering complex infrastructure upgrades within hospital environments, and are working closely with hospital staff to ensure energy services are maintained at all times, and the patient experience is not affected.”
Jen Cleary, head of dustainability for Gloucestershire Managed Services (GMS), which helps to manage the hospital’s estate, said the green funding would help the hospitals to make significant inroads on its carbon emissions.
“We launched our Green Plan last year with the aim of making our NHS hospitals carbon neutral by 2040 in line with national policy. That’s a hugely ambitious goal and this programme is a significant step in that journey,” she said.
