Can a hospital be fully electric and completely carbon neutral?
We think so. And we’re aiming to be one of the first.
We’ll combine highly flexible design with maximum environmental performance, making best use of technology in energy generation and conservation.
Green from the roof down
Our new hospital will have a strong focus on sustainability during the build programme and on through to everyday use.
The building itself will be technologically innovative and built using modern methods of construction (MMC), an offsite, modular approach that is quicker, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional construction methods.
The form of the building will be kept as compact as possible, to combine a highly flexible design with maximum environmental performance.
Our aim is to be one of the first fully electric hospitals with a net zero carbon footprint.
Going for net zero
To meet NHS targets for net zero carbon by 2045, our new hospital will need to reduce its carbon impact in its construction and day-to-day operation.
MMC plays a big role in reducing carbon emissions during construction as the techniques require fewer people working on site, fewer deliveries to site, and less waste during production.
In a nutshell, we will aim to achieve net zero by:
being lean – designing our building to use less energy
being clean – supplying our own low carbon energy efficiently
being green – using renewable energy to offset our emissions
being seen – monitoring and targeting reductions in our energy use
How do we create a net zero carbon hospital?
Everyone who visits or works at our new hospital will have a vital role to play in helping us cut our carbon emissions.
From how we travel to hospital, to what we use, buy and eat on site. Our behaviours will need to change if we are to achieve our goals.
To put it into context, our current site uses 14,082,358kWh gas for heating and hot water each year, which equates to about 2,605,236kg CO2
Our new site will emit 0kg CO2 for the same purposes!
In the blue boxes, you can see this is equivalent to a saving of…
Your feedback so far
The results of our latest poll on sustainability show what matters most to you
What is a sky farm?
One of our big ideas to is to build a sky farm where the food on your plate is grown on the roof.
Inspired by the amazing rooftop farm at Boston Medical Center, a sky farm would be an important part of our commitment to good, sustainable food and nutrition.
We would love to create a dedicated space for a rooftop farm – or sky farm – where we are able to grow some fresh fruit and veg, plant flowers and shrubs.
It would enable us work with the community partners to provide opportunities for local people to understand how our food directly affects our health.
And we’d be supporting local wildlife in the process too!
Getting to our new hospital
We will be preparing a comprehensive travel plan with local councils and specialists to promote sustainable travel to and provide appropriate vehicle space and car parking on our site.
Our priority concern is that all necessary journeys to our new hospital are convenient, affordable and quick for staff and patients.
Further work on transport is being undertaken by our specialist traffic and highways consultants Mott MacDonald.
NHS Long Term Plan
The NHS is playing a leading role in shaping the future of the built environment that promotes health and wellbeing.
In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, our new hospital will embed these principles and maximise the options to deliver a sustainable development from build to everyday use.
We will continue to explore all opportunities to deliver high standard healthcare services to our local communities with minimal negative impact to the environment. Building on the successful reductions in energy, waste, water at our current hospital and more, including:
- Use of LED lighting and associated carbon and cost savings
- Green travel plan
- Replace single use plastic with suitable alternatives in compliance with the NHS plastic pledge
Join in, have your say
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