Energy efficient hospitals could save £14m

New data has revealed that better energy efficiency could deliver hospitals over £14 million in savings per year across NHS sites.

EDF Energy says that by putting just five simple energy efficiency measures  in place, hospitals could each achieve a total average saving of as much as £79,197 per year, equivalent to the cost of 609 MRI scans. This is based upon the 494 sites they monitored as part of the research.

These energy savings would also have a significant environmental impact, and could save 9,365 tonnes of CO2 per year - the equivalent to the carbon emissions from nearly 5,000 flights between London and Sydney, or to the positive impact of planting 234,125 square metres of woodland.

Across the vast majority of locations, EDF Energy found that very simple changes such as switching to energy efficient lighting could deliver a significant impact. As many as 82 per cent of the hospitals analysed could make significant cost and emissions savings simply by putting energy efficient lighting in place. On average, each hospital would make annual savings of £18,000 per site by installing efficient lighting, reducing their carbon emissions by 58 tonnes per year.

Furthermore, the data also found that: using energy efficient air conditioners could save on average £18,358 per site; installing occupancy sensors to automate lighting could save £14,514 per site; and £25,837 could be saved per site by retrofitting Enhanced Ventilation Controls.

Vincent de Rul, director of Energy Solutions at EDF Energy, said: “Energy efficiency has been a UK-wide focus for a number of years, but our analysis of these hospitals shows that the majority can still make meaningful carbon reductions that result in significant savings – through very simple changes.

“Our data covers a relatively small proportion of the UK’s hospitals – imagine what the impact would be if all UK hospitals were able to make even the simplest of changes, whether that be efficient lighting or occupancy sensors? As the UK has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, we want to demonstrate that all organisations can achieve positive results one change at a time.”