With climate change at the forefront of the heated global debate; businesses and buyers are keen to establish planet-friendly credentials. The UK is now the first major economy to pass laws to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. The NHS currently accounts for around 4 per cent of all UK greenhouse gas emissions – similar in scale to the airline industry, this carbon footprint can be reduced – even to zero – without undermining the principles and goals of the NHS. The target is the most ambitious set in the world and pressure will be on all institutions to help achieve this. Will your trust be one of them?
Energy Management
As leaders, we’re responsible for our planet and accountable to our stakeholders, staff and customers to operate a business model that is conscious of its impact on the environment – and maximises its profits.
A key factor in combatting climate change is improving your site efficiency. Just a few days ago, audit watchdog FRC called for organisations to do more and improve transparent reporting on climate change issues. The NHS published its first carbon reduction strategy in 2009, and in 2015 it surpassed an interim target of reducing emissions by 10% despite significant increases in overall activity.
Failure to combat climate change within your trust can damage your reputation and eat into your budgets as increasingly climate-conscious governments drive for greener options
Failure to combat climate change within your trust can damage your reputation and eat into your budgets as increasingly climate-conscious governments drive for greener options. Not only will site efficiency contribute to combatting climate change, but it will also demonstrate your corporate social responsibility and cut costs.
Some of the things you can ensure you are doing to reduce your overheads and your environmental impact include:
- Use CFL or LED lights or (where possible) opt for natural lighting.
- Incorporate sensors/timers on lighting wherever possible.
- Reduce or eliminate paper usage, print on both sides of the paper and recycle.
- Upgrade your recycling efforts to include glass, plastic and aluminium.
- Turn off all electrical appliances when not in use.
- Save and reuse packaging materials and source plastic packaging alternatives.
- Use heat pumps that can reduce your electricity usage by up to 50%.
- Refine your environmental policies and create an awareness culture amongst your staff.
- Reduce heating bills with proper insulation.
- Modulate the amount of primary cooling air delivered to a zone/space with HVAC terminal units.
- Utilise software rather than printing, sharing and maintaining paper files.
- Evaluate, and re-evaluate control protocol scenarios – can you turn your heating down 1 degree? Or cut your heating time by 5 minutes.
- Patient and staff travel accounts for around 16 per cent of the NHS carbon footprint, encourage car sharing and walk or cycle wherever possible.
Running an efficient site will save you a significant amount of money!
If you don’t already, you need to establish a Hard Facilities Management solution for your site including Energy Management at it’s core. Key to success in the maintenance sector is the specialised process of integrating our key skillsets of energy management and mechanical and electrical services.
For an Energy Management solution that combats climate change, your aim should be to improve overall site efficiency, reduce your carbon footprint, streamline costs and enhance your corporate social responsibility. In a time of rising budget deficits and mounting pressures, climate change might seem to be a distant priority for the NHS, but it is one that will need to be tackled if access to comprehensive health care is to be sustainable in the future.