Nottingham University Hospitals to implement numerous energy-efficient improvements

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and E.ON Partner for Sustainable Energy Solution

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) has partnered with E.ON for a 15-year energy efficiency programme aimed at improving energy efficiency and tackling climate change. The programme, which is estimated to cost £64m and is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, has begun at the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC).

The project involves the installation of a renewable geothermal heating and cooling system at the QMC. Sixty-four boreholes, each descending up to 250 metres, will be installed under the ground to provide a sustainable low carbon energy source. This system will be housed in a £15m energy centre that is being built at the QMC and operated by E.ON.

The energy centre will house four high-efficiency heat pumps that extract heat from air and draw from the natural warmth of the earth. These pumps will help manage temperatures within the buildings, improving patient and staff comfort. The programme aims to help hospitals deliver net zero targets and improve staff and patient comfort.

Anthony May, chief executive of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, has expressed a significant commitment to environmental sustainability. He stated that innovative projects like these will play a hugely important role in helping the hospital achieve a net zero carbon operation for heating and cooling system emissions by 2040.

The project is expected to cut QMC's carbon emissions by 10,000 tonnes of CO2 or 30% a year initially, increasing to around 43% once the current gas-fired heating system is decommissioned. This reduction in emissions will contribute to the hospital's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and help the country meet its net zero targets.

The partnership between NUH and E.ON is a creative solution to meeting energy needs and tackling climate change. The project is a testament to the hospital's commitment to sustainability and its willingness to invest in innovative technologies for a greener future.