Harrogate District Hospital has been awarded the very significant sum of £14 million for works to reduce the carbon footprint of the site by 1,100 tonnes per year.
The works will be carried out by the hospital’s estates and facilities subsidiary company, Harrogate Integrated Facilities (HIF) in partnership Imtech and its specialist energy performance business, Breathe.
The funding is going towards an air source heat pump, which extracts heat from the air which can then be used to provide heating and hot water across the site, reducing the consumption of natural gas.
The money will also address some of the long-standing backlog maintenance matters relating to the hospital building including repairing and replacing flat roofs that leak and old windows, both of which have impacted on the experience of patients and staff.
As part of the roofing replacement works photovoltaic solar panels will be installed to provide a sustainable green source for electricity and reduce the reliance on grid electricity.
In addition to the benefits that this work will bring to the hospital and the overall climate change challenge, it is worth noting the benefits that it will bring to the local economy in terms of local businesses being involved in the construction phase of the project.
The grant is awarded by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) via its Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. Public sector bodies have to submit bids to the scheme. The scheme offers grant funding which aligns with BEIS’ new mission and priorities: fighting coronavirus, backing business, unleashing innovation and tackling climate change. The scheme will also encourage green investment, supporting the Government’s net zero and clean growth goals.
Jonathan Coulter, Chief Executive of Harrogate Integrated Facilities, said: “I know I speak for all Harrogate Integrated Facilities colleagues when I say how delighted we are to have received a grant of this size. It is brilliant news for us, everyone who works here and patients who access services here.
“We have a firm ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of Harrogate District Hospital by as much as possible, and as quickly as possible. The works that have been outlined above will set us significantly ahead of the required trajectory.”
HIF, on behalf of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust which runs Harrogate District Hospital, has in place a 25-year energy performance contract with the Carbon Energy Fund (CEF) and Imtech. This is already delivering guaranteed energy savings of approximately £680,000 per year. This new grant will allow for works to be accelerated and deliver energy savings more quickly.
Mark Chamberlain, Chairman of Harrogate Integrated Facilities, said: “This eight-figure grant is a really significant investment into Harrogate District Hospital. I’m so pleased we’ve been successful with our bid because it means we can deliver more savings in a faster timescale.
“We are going to be really busy over the next year or so delivering these works. I know my Harrogate Integrated Facilities colleagues, along with Imtech, will rise to the challenge and deliver these clear benefits for everyone who comes to the Harrogate District Hospital site, as well as the wider community.
“Thanks to our existing partnership with Imtech we are in a really strong position to move quickly and with a broad range of expertise in place to enhance the hospital environment and reduce our carbon footprint.”
Gary Parke, Managing Director, Breathe (an Imtech company), said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Harrogate Integrated Facilities. The new energy saving installations will enhance and accelerate the savings our team has delivered over the last few years. As well as ensuring further cost and carbon reduction benefits for the Trust and a better environment for staff, patients and visitors to the hospital.”