Estates and Facilities

The majority of the carbon emissions included in the 2040 target come from the NHS buildings.  For new buildings compliance with the NHS Net Zero Building standard is required.  The Estates Net Zero Carbon Delivery plan applies to existing buildings. 

NGH has occupied the same 40 acre site at the edge of Northampton for over 200 years.  The site has a mix of buildings ranging in age from 1783 to 2022.  The majority of clinical services are provided at this site.  The age of the buildings along with the confined nature of both internal and external infrastructure place a strain on the capital monies available, which also have to pay for compliance, asbestos and fire related works.  All services within the Estates and Facilities departments are carried out by NGH employees and the site is fully owned by NGH.  Most of the site’s heating and hot water is provided via a district LTHW (Low Temperature Hot Water) heat network with a small proportion of buildings having stand alone boilers.  A CHP provides the majority of the sitewide electricity required, and 30% of the heat requirements, with additional heat demand from a biomass boiler and two 50 year old steam boilers, with the addition, in 2024 of a new LTHW boiler, two Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) and a Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP).  West Northamptonshire Council had commissioned a feasibility study of a town wide heat network, but this has proved the concept not economically viable. 

Carbon emissions from energy, water, waste and f-gases are included in the 2040 net zero emissions targets.  All other purchases to build and maintain buildings, as well as provide catering, domestic and portering services are included in the 2045 net zero target. 

The NHS Net Zero Buildings Strategy and Clinical Waste Strategy also inform the content of this section of the Sustainability Plan. 

Where we are now:

Carbon emissions from buildings are showing a downward trend despite increases in the area occupied by the buildings and the number of patients using our services.

 

In 2022 NGH was awarded a grant of £20.6million via the Public Sector Decarbonisation scheme, which was completed and commissioned in the financial year 2024/25.  This has allowed the Trust to remove steam for heating and hot water from all areas of the site, install more efficient catering equipment, more efficient fans, approximately 3,500 LED lights, two ASHPs, a WSHP and almost 500 kWp of solar panels.  At the same time the Trust replaced one of the 50 year old steam boilers with a new, more efficient LTHW boiler.  It is expected that this will remove approximately 30% of the emissions from buildings from 2025/26. 

The Trust commissioned a decarbonisation plan during 2023 in order to determine the options for the remaining emissions from buildings.  Within the plan were the next steps available and potential routes for funding as this would not be covered by the standard capital monies allocated.  This included a thermal survey of a number of the buildings.  A series of roof surveys has been completed to determine the level of insulation and cost of replacement and upgrade which has been added into the capital planning considerations. 

The trust has a series of electricity meters to monitor individual areas, but the data has proved inconsistent and a solution to the metering requirements is being sought. 

A site water map to determine where the water is used which will be used as a basis for the installation of more water meters to provide targeted reductions.    A trial of low water toilets in one of our busiest sets of public toilets has shown a reduction in both water and blockages; Estates are seeking funding to roll these out in a further 8 areas. 

Clinical waste segregation has moved towards the 2026 target, with 47% now moved into the offensive waste stream, against a target of 60%.  The Trust has facilities to recycle card, batteries, metal and food as separate waste streams, and has dry mixed recycling in most areas across the site.  The Trust has a dedicated Waste Manager, who ensures compliance with legislation.  A reuse scheme is in operation and since the employment of an additional member of the team an increase in users has been achieved and over £19,000 of internal savings achieved.

Our aims are to:

• Reduce carbon emissions from buildings by 25% in line with the 2040 target 

• Create a full decarbonisation plan for the site’s buildings including the removal of all fossil fuel boilers 

• Achieve the NHS segregation targets with 60% of waste in the offensive waste stream 

• Increase trust recycling levels to above 50% of non-clinical waste 

• Reduce emissions from waste by 50% 

• Reduce overall waste levels by 25% 

• Reduce water consumption by 10% 

• Make reuse rather than purchase the default option 

• Improve the grounds and gardens for staff and patients

Estates and Facilities Action Plan

Action	Financial Investment	When	Responsible Department
Action Write full costed heat decarbonisation plan for the site	Financial Investment Medium	When 2026	Responsible Department Estates
Action Develop a fully costed plan to install renewable energy technologies and battery storage	Financial Investment Medium	When 2026	Responsible Department Estates
Action Update the metering software solution across the site to provide reliable heat, water and electrical consumption data	Financial Investment Medium	When 2025	Responsible Department Sustainability
Action Create a fully costed LED replacement plan	Financial Investment Low	When 2025	Responsible Department Estates
Action Implement minimum refurbishment standards from the carbon management plan	Financial Investment Medium	When 2026	Responsible Department Estates
Action Ensure Sustainability Impact Assessments are included in all capital projects	Financial Investment Low	When 2025	Responsible Department Estates
Action Write a demand reduction plan for water, electricity and heat	Financial Investment Low	When 2027	Responsible Department Sustainability
Action Remove the highest Global Warming Potential gases from air conditioning equipment	Financial Investment Medium	When 2027	Responsible Department Estates
Action Create an energy policy	Financial Investment Low	When 2026	Responsible Department Sustainability
Action Install additional low water use toilets in areas of high use	Financial Investment Medium	When 2026	Responsible Department Estates
Action Improve one area of the site for wildlife each year	Financial Investment Medium	When 2028	Responsible Department Estates
Action Create a seed library for staff	Financial Investment Low	When 2026	Responsible Department Sustainability
Action Promote reuse platform and increase reuse of bulky goods	Financial Investment Low	When 2026	Responsible Department Sustainability
Action Create repair shop for small repairs to put equipment back into circulation	Financial Investment Low	When 2026	Responsible Department Waste
Action Include requirements for take back of electrical equipment within procurement contracts	Financial Investment Low	When 2026	Responsible Department Procurement
Action Create online training content for waste segregation	Financial Investment Low	When 2025	Responsible Department Waste
Action Review top ten discarded items for options for refurbishment	Financial Investment Low	When 2025	Responsible Department Waste
Action Review methodologies for calculation of waste emission figures and calculate accurate figure	Financial Investment Low	When 2025	Responsible Department Waste
Action Review the process and improve the movement of reused furniture through the Trust's reuse platform	Financial Investment Low	When 2025	Responsible Department Hotel Services
Action Create Biodiversity Strategy	Financial Investment Low	When 2026	Responsible Department Estates / Sustainability

Measurement

Energy and water consumption figures from invoices

Waste weights from invoices

Reuse data from online reuse platform

Purchasing data from procurement

f-gas register