Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is responsible for providing acute hospital care services for the people of Bradford and neighbouring communities. It has around 1,000 beds serving a community of over a million people, has an annual budget of £230 million and employs 5,000 staff.
    
Foundation trusts are new flagship hospitals in England and awarded to high performing organisations. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was approved to be a foundation trust on 1st April 2004, one of the first in the country.
    
In 2009 Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for its commitment to managing and reducing its carbon footprint.
 
Q. Why did you apply for the Carbon Trust Standard?
A. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has always been pro-active with engaging in new technologies and at the forefront of innovation. When we first began to contemplate our environmental impact, it was quite clear from the beginning that if we reduced our energy usage and carbon emissions, not only would we be saving money, the environment would benefit also.
    
We worked with the Carbon Trust as they were really good at advising us on how we could best reduce our carbon emissions and we believed that working with them would ensure success. As it happens it did and in 2009 we applied for the Carbon Trust Standard to demonstrate the excellent work we had done so far and our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint further.
 
Q. How have you prepared for when CRC comes into force in April next year?
A. The Trust has been preparing for the CRC for some time now, which is why we have been able to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard as recognition for our early action. We have set up an in-house environmental sustainability group that the Trust Chairman leads and we are also pro-actively taking part in the Carbon Trust’s NHS Carbon Management programme. The scheme provides us with technical and change management support to help us achieve significant savings in energy costs and carbon emissions across the whole of the hospital.

Q. Are you aware of the financial implications of CRC on your business?
A. We are fully aware of the financial implications of the CRC when it comes into force next year and our objective is to be as close to the top of the league table as possible. Not only will this further showcase our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment, it will also result in the Trust receiving financial reward through a carbon credit refund.

Q. How has the finance department been involved in preparation for the CRC?
A. The finance department is very much involved in the environmental sustainability group and the carbon reduction strategy. They have also taken the lead on procurement issues such as using local suppliers and life cycle costing.
    
However, the role of our finance director is critical to assure the successful outcome of our environmental practices and preparation for the CRC. He is the one who has had to work closely with the Trust’s Chairman to drive the board’s involvement and commitment towards making the schemes and initiatives we have established for the hospital a success.

Q. What reporting and auditing procedures does your financial department have in place to build an accurate understanding of energy costs/carbon footprint?
A. The environmental and sustainability estates staff manage an energy software monitoring and reporting programme into which all of our energy costs are inputted. We then set targets and monitor our progress to ensure value for money. In addition the software is used for budget predictions. Regular analysis of this information is used to prioritise areas for future energy saving opportunities.

Q. What savings to energy costs have you made as a result of working towards the Carbon Trust Standard and the CRC?
A. We have made some significant savings to date. Most have been through de-steaming at St Luke’s Hospital and the installation of combined heat and power units, which we also put in place at Bradford Royal Infirmary. Our Carbon Champions and energy awareness campaigns have also done much to empower the employees and patients to think about their day-to-day carbon footprint and make little changes to help reduce it.

Q. What has been the most successful carbon saving initiative you have undertaken to date?
A. We are expecting the de-steaming at St Luke’s Hospital and the installation of combined heat and power units to be our largest carbon saving initiative and to deliver a yearly carbon reduction of 1200kg CO2. We have also appointed voluntary environmental champions at ward and department level to be the eyes and ears of the strategy, for which we have high hopes for significant savings also.
 
Q. What are the key benefits in preparing for the CRC ahead of April 2010?
A. By preparing for the CRC early, as you work towards reducing your emissions you become aware of the budgetary pressures in advance. Therefore any financial impact can be minimised. Also, as we are one of the larger employers of Bradford city, the Trust can demonstrate that it is taking its corporate and social responsibility seriously.
    
Another benefit is being able to apply for the Carbon Trust Standard as recognition for our early action, which has additional reputational benefits and has provided independent credibility when marketing our green credentials.

Q. What advice would you give to anyone preparing for the CRC?
A. Our advice to those hospitals preparing for the CRC is to make sure that you pro-actively participate in the Carbon Trust’s NHS Carbon Management programme. This will ensure that you have an accurate carbon footprint for your sites. This will then guide you to focus on reducing your baseline emissions and investigating further opportunities.
    
Also, you should consider taking professional advice to ascertain the preparations required for the CRC. Do not underestimate the amount of work involved. If you are able to show real carbon reduction in advance of the scheme, applying for the Carbon Trust Standard will improve your league table rating and also reward staff for their carbon reduction efforts.