Veolia is helping the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust increase energy efficiency, save money, and cut carbon emissions.
By delivering a 15-year Energy Performance Contract (EPC) that will target savings of £1.3m a year; the company will implement a wide range of improvements at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Furness General Hospital, and Westmorland General Hospital.
A secure and cost-efficient energy supply is essential to maintain a modern patient care environment for the trust, which has 734 beds and serves a population of 365,000 people.
To meet this energy demand, a key part of the projects will cover the design, delivery, installation, commissioning and subsequent operation of two 800kW CHP units that will reduce annual CO2 emissions by 2,500 tonnes.
In addition to generating electricity for the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General Hospital, the CHPs will provide Low Temperature Hot Water (LTHW) at Furness, and steam through a waste heat boiler at the Lancaster facility. On both sites the CHPs will be connected to the trust HV network via a new step up transformer and ring main unit.
Good lighting levels have a positive effect on patient outcomes in the healthcare environment, and the contract will upgrade the lighting to take advantage of the latest LED technology through the installation of new fittings on all three sites. Further energy-saving measures will include new pumps and the measures will be guaranteed by Veolia, which will also provide a comprehensive 15-year maintenance service for the units.
Commenting on this latest EPC project, Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia’s senior executive vice president for the UK and Ireland, said: “Enabling the NHS to become more sustainable, and helping to focus budgets on patient care is very important as it enhances facilities and directly improves healthcare.
“Energy performance contracts now meet these aims by delivering the necessary investment and payback to upgrade energy provision, reduce carbon emissions and build long-term energy resilience.”