Monitor

The SDU has consulted on a system for Trusts to report their scope 2 emissions (from ERIC data) to each region's SHA on a six-monthly basis - yo u can see the consultation report by clicking here. The Sustainable Health project, in partnership with the South West SHA will develop a reporting strategy and template and will disseminate it to all sustainability leads for comment by the beginning of May 2010. Other scope emissions (ie from transport) can be added on a regional basis, but national reporting will be developed in the coming months.

Advice from the SDU and the Carbon Trust, “In setting targets for carbon reduction, it is important both that NHS Trusts consider all emissions sources and that Trusts first target the largest reductions which are also easiest to measure and influence. The 10% SDU target covers all emissions sources- buildings, transport, waste and procurement. To reduce emissions in line with this target action is needed in all areas of the footprint.

To demonstrate progress, this action should be supported with stretching targets for the footprint we can measure i.e. from buildings and own transport. Previous experience from the Carbon Trust suggests that an absolute emissions reduction, for these areas, of between 20 and 25% over a 5 year period is readily achievable. Targets in this range are in line with the Climate Change Act targets and sufficient to set Trusts on a course to meet vital long term carbon reduction targets.”

Set boundaries

The NHS SDU Unit has developed metrics which can be used now by NHS organisations to demonstrate action on carbon reduction – more detailed information is available the carbon metrics PDF from the SDU.

Carbon emissions are divided into three categories for monitoring and reporting purposes:

• Scope 1 - direct energy use from onsite fuel consumption and transport from company owned vehicles
• Scope 2 - indirect energy use from purchased energy, steam and heat
• Scope 3 - indirect energy use from (including but not limited to) production of purchased materials, other transport (incl commuter mileage), waste disposal

If possible, systems should be put in place to monitor carbon across all three categories. Most current reporting programmes take into account scope 1 and 2, with certain measurements from scope 3; however, in future all carbon producing activities, direct and indirect, will be measured and reported.

Building Energy (22% of the NHS carbon footprint):

Trust level data from the ERIC data systems provides high quality data in terms of building energy consumption, for example breaking energy use down into fuel types. Collate information as required for input to the ERIC data system. In addition, collate sub-metered energy usage/emissions if sub-metering has been installed. Installation of submetering where done would help individual Trusts identify energy reduction opportunities, but would not be required per-se to monitor progress towards carbon reductions in this sector.

Travel (18% of carbon footprint):

At a Trust level, CO2 emissions from business mileage, fleet mileage and patient transport services should be recorded. These represent a significant portion of the travel footprint – therefore a reduction is achievable, and is consistent with the Smart Travel Plan requirements.
Other sources of information such as travel surveys to indicate changes in modal shift and estimates for patient mileage are useful at organisational level as part of a Carbon Action Plan and Green Travel Plan.

Procurement (60% of carbon footprint):

At a Trust level, the use of financial expenditure data records progress in reducing budgets rather than carbon emissions. However, there are various proxy indicators that could be developed for progress towards procurement emissions reductions, such as:

• Volumes of pharmaceuticals prescribed, eg for the top 5 drugs
• Volumes of key medical equipment eg mattresses
• Volume of clinical waste
• Unused pharmaceuticals
• Food waste

Other measurements:

Water and waste