Carbon Reduction and Energy Optimization Strategy for one NHS Trust

Abstract

Energy managers at many National Health Service (NHS) hospitals are now under intense pressure to radically investigate and develop energy and carbon reduction strategies. Factors contributing to this pressure include new Government and NHS carbon reduction targets, reduced energy budgets, increase of energy demand and energy cost. The increase in energy demand in many NHS hospitals is also influenced by the age of the infrastructure, rapid demand and expansion along with increased use of energy intensive medical kits in certain specialist hospitals. This paper presents a detailed analysis of energy data spanning 6 years for The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. The analysis, together with a survey of existing systems forms the basis for profiling the hospital historical energy consumption trend and to determine the average "Business As Usual" growth rate for energy, and the resultant costs. Further investigation of short and long term energy saving measures was undertaken based on the analysis of the effects of previously implemented measures and the hospital energy profiles. New energy savings measures have also been identified using financial and carbon emission savings studies.