UHS to reduce carbon emissions with new energy-efficient heating system thanks to £29.4m grant

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) has been awarded £29.4m from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to fund a major new energy-efficient heating system fit for the future.

Southampton General Hospital’s (SGH) heating is currently provided via a centralised steam heat service. It works by steam running around the central core of the hospital, connected to gas and oil boilers.

Until five years ago Princess Anne Hospital was also connected to the same supply, but now runs on its own boiler system.

The new energy system at SGH will replace the current infrastructure, which is now approximately 20-years-old and in need of a significant overhaul.

The state-of-the-art new system will help UHS take great strides towards its pledge to become Net Carbon Zero by 2045, as set out in the Trust’s Green Plan launched in April 2022 – reducing CO2 emissions by an estimated 4881 tonnes per year.

Financially, once the new system is installed, it will save the Trust approximately £2m a year.

It will operate using air source heat pumps that absorb heat into fluid that passes through the pump, increasing the temperature before transferring the heat to water.

Low temperature hot water solutions will also be expanded while the use of gas boilers will be reduced on the hospital site.

The money to fund the scheme has come from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is initiated by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. It is delivered by Salix Finance.

Phase 3b will allocate up to £635m of funding to public sector organisations, to be spent in the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25. Around £178m was made available for NHS Trusts to support the Greener NHS commitment to reach carbon net zero.

UHS’s existing energy centre contract is due to expire in 2024 and the Trust is now in the process of working with suppliers who are bidding for the programme.

Paul Grundy, chief medical officer at UHS and chair of the Trust’s sustainability board, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this significant grant that will enable us to replace the outdated and inefficient heating system at Southampton General Hospital.

“The impact of climate change, air pollution, waste and environmental decline on health and the natural world is significant so we must all do what we can to make a difference.

“As the city’s largest employer our estate is a large contributor to greenhouse gases which is why it is essential we find alternative energy solutions.

"Replacing the current system will not only substantially reduce the carbon footprint of the building, saving an estimated 4881 tonnes of CO2 a year, it will also provide a more comfortable environment for our patients and staff.”

Janica Dela Cruz, client support officer from Salix Finance, said: “We are delighted to be able to support this ambitious scheme, it is important that public sector bodies work together to meeting our challenging net zero ambitions.

“We look forward to joining the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation on its decarbonisation journey.”

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme aims to put the public sector at the forefront of decarbonising buildings in the UK.