Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) has taken a giant step forward to meeting its Green Plan objectives thanks to funding under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).
Vital Energi have designed and are delivering the net zero works at John Radcliffe Hospital, home to Oxfordshire's main A&E site and acute hospital services, to make the hospital more energy efficient, as well as providing a better environment for patients.
Due for completion by the end of 2025, the John Radcliffe Hospital will be 'de-steamed', with the existing steam network decommissioned and replaced with new, cleaner, and more efficient pipework. The pipework is heated by substituting gas boilers with low carbon electric heat pumps and additional energy efficiency measures.
In addition to significantly improving the efficiency through heat pumps, the new system also reduces the carbon footprint of the site, along with water consumption, water treatment costs, operational and maintenance costs and avoids a maintenance backlog.
Solar panels, more efficient pipework insulation, and draught proofing, have also been installed to improve energy efficiency.
A total of £24.1m was awarded to the John Radcliffe and £5.7m to Horton General under Phase 3b of PSDS which is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to support the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings. OUH contributed £8.2m towards the wider scheme, taking the total expenditure to £38m over a three-year period.
Salix’s Director of Public Sector Decarbonisation, Ian Rodger, and Programme Coordinator, Justin Morris, joined hospital officials and Vital Energi engineers to see how the John Radcliffe Hospital is finding work one year after celebrating its award of the PSDS grant.
Justin said: “It’s so important to see for ourselves how the works are progressing and to listen to the hospital team about the impact the technologies are making.
“The John Radcliffe and Horton hospitals are complex sites and there are many sensitivities that have to be considered and resolved in order to complete the work without interrupting patient care.
“The project team has both the skills and experience to face these challenges and deliver the project.”
Vital Energi's Director of Low Carbon Solutions, Chris Yeo, said: "We were delighted to show Salix the progress of the decarbonisation works at John Radcliffe Hospital. Delivering such a complex project on a live acute hospital site is challenging and has only been possible due to the excellent collaboration between Vital Energi and the Oxford University Hospitals team which is a testament to all involved.
"As the John Radcliffe is my local hospital it is great to see the improvements to the hospitals energy infrastructure which will deliver significant carbon and cost savings."
OUH is one of the UK’s largest acute teaching NHS Trusts. It works in close partnership with the University of Oxford, and is a leading centre for cancer, neurosciences, diabetes and genetics - among other fields.
During the visit, the team from Salix got to tour the site and look at the new energy efficiency technologies including the solar PV panels, air-handling units, building management systems, heat plate exchangers, the new low-temperature-hot-water pipework distribution system and cascading air-to-water heat pumps.
