Energy & Carbon

NHS buildings consume over £410 million worth of energy and produce 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 every year. Energy use contributes 22% of the total NHS carbon footprint and offers many opportunities for saving and efficiency, allowing these savings to be directly reinvested into further reductions in carbon emissions and improved patient care.

Every NHS organisation should routinely provide information on energy and carbon costs to all building users at every organisational level. Reviewing performance at Board level and reporting annually to staff, the public and other stakeholders will encourage organisations to act.

People are increasingly aware of the need to reduce energy consumption at home and it is important that the NHS educates, encourages and enables staff to do the same at work.

This section provides information to support energy and carbon management, with helpful hints, template management and action plans, best practice examples and a list of useful resources.

Carbon Management

NHS organisations need to develop the ability to monitor their energy use effectively and in a way that will allow all staff to understand how they can contribute to energy savings.

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Energy

Energy-use levels are high in NHS healthcare facilities due to the requirements of heating, cooling, lighting, IT equipment and specialist medical equipment. Investing in the energy efficiency and resilience of the estate is particularly important in view of the current supply climate, escalating fuel costs and the potential impact of peak oil.

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Targets & Policies

The Climate Change Act and the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, as well as the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy, provide structured targets that each NHS organisation must meet.

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