Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on the path to net zero through £16.2m project

Heat pumps, solar panels and energy efficiency measures will be introduced at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) as part of a £16.2m decarbonisation project which will reduce the site’s carbon footprint by over 3,000 tonnes a year.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs RSH, secured funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, and have partnered with Vital Energi, who have developed the scheme.

Vital Energi will install a1.6MW air and water source heat pump system, which will provide low carbon heating, hot water and chilled water to buildings across the hospital site.  This will enable the Trust to remove the old steam boilers and associated gas-fired equipment and fully “de-steam” the hospital estate.

The £16.2m grant will also fund a range of energy conservation measures such as 675kWp solar panels, which will be installed on the available roof spaces, the upgrade and optimisation of the building energy management systems, upgrades of roof and pipework insultation, and the replacement of air handling unit fans units with low-energy fan systems, which will reduce the site’s energy consumption, and improve the patient and staff experience.

As part of the project, Vital Energi will be developing a Digital Twin of the heating and cooling systems which form part of the decarbonisation works. This Digital Twin will be used to gather insights of the existing system and will enable Vital Energi to optimise the design while ironing out any inefficiencies, thereby maximising the performance of the heat pump system, as well as the reliability.

When the work is complete, the investment could save the Trust an estimated £1m a year in energy costs, and will support the Trust’s Estates Decarbonisation Strategies, Green Plan and national NHS ambitions of reaching net zero by 2040.

Inese Robotham, Assistant Chief Executive and Chair of the Trust’s Climate Group, said:

“This is fantastic and exciting news for the Trust, and we’re delighted to have secured this funding. The Trust is committed to continuous investment in both our hospitals, particularly in areas which support greener solutions.

“This aligns with our vision of sustainable health services and more modern facilities that will improve the experience of our patients and colleagues.”

Vital Energi’s extensive track record of delivering complex energy solutions within hospital environments throughout the UK has allowed them to develop a deep understanding of the needs and requirements of the NHS. They recognise the need for the Trust to maintain patient services at all times and will work with staff to develop strategies to deliver the works without impacting on the normal operations of the hospital.

Vital Energi are delivering the project through the Carbon and Energy Fund Framework, which has been specifically created to fund complex energy infrastructure upgrades for public sector organisations.

The project received grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), which is administered by Salix on behalf of the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

Director of Programmes at Salix Ian Rodger said:

“The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is having a huge impact across the country, and we are delighted to be working with the teams at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

“The funding will not only deliver a more energy efficient hospital and support the Trust’s carbon reduction plans, but it will help create a more comfortable environment for patients, staff and visitors.

“Our teams will work closely with the Trust as continues its journey to a net zero future.”