Deadlines accelerating for NHS decarbonisation
As the calendar clicks around and we start 2025, the UK moves closer to its Net Zero 2050 deadline. Although we’re still 25 years out from that finishing line, there is still a huge amount of work to be done, particularly in the built environment.
And many organisations have set themselves much tighter targets. One of these is NHS England, which has set an end date of 2040 for achieving net zero in emissions that it controls directly. There is also an ambition to carve out 80% of those emissions between 2028 and 2032 – just three years away. There is little time to lose.
One of the main challenges for the NHS is its scale. The NHS estate is 25 million m2, with 10,000 buildings of various age and type. Over the past decade, NHS Trusts have successfully focused on delivering rapid carbon savings by reducing energy use with projects that include switching to alternative technology such as LED lighting.
There is more work to be done
The British Medical Association (BMA)(1) carried out a survey in 2024 and found that, while carbon emissions have been reduced across the NHS, progress is stalling. In part this is because the ‘quick wins’ have done their job; now further carbon reductions call for more involved steps.
For example, space heating and hot water account for around 80% of direct greenhouse gas emissions from NHS buildings, so improving their performance is key to success. Some NHS Trusts and hospitals have already taken action on this, with programmes to de-steam and decarbonise heating by removing old fossil fuel boiler systems.
Many of the hospitals involved have been successful applicants to the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme PSDS, or Salix Scheme as it’s also known.
With every kilogram of carbon saving now a top priority, optimising the energy efficiency of these low-carbon heating systems is critical. A good example of how to achieve this, is effective filtration and water treatment because of its impact on the efficiency of both old and new HVAC systems.
Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital like many others across the UK is investing and implementing modern, electric low-carbon heat pump systems. We believe that clean water is critical for reliable and efficient heating or cooling systems, and this is particularly true where heat pumps have been retrofitted into existing buildings. The science behind this is that by-products of corrosion, scale and biofouling can build up in closed systems and reduce the energy transport characteristics of water.
This not only disrupts water flow, it also reduces the cooling and heating efficiencies of the system. So, water treatment and filtration directly impact energy efficiency and operational carbon in buildings.
Enwa’s EnwaMatic side stream (2) water treatment technology has been used widely in the NHS estate, and is designed to prevent problems before they lead to energy waste or system breakdown.
EnwaMatic side stream filters and removes debris to less than 10 microns. Independent testing shows that suspended solids in treated water are reduced to levels comparable with potable water. It also provides pH regulation, corrosion inhibition and scale control, whilst contributing to a harsh environment for bacterial growth.
In hospitals where new heat pump systems are retrofitted, effective water treatment is even more important. A retrofit project to remove older HVAC system pipework and components must consider the build-up of dirt that takes place in those components over time.
If the untreated (or incorrectly treated) water is released into the upgraded system, it can carry this old debris – making the new equipment less energy efficient and reducing the benefits it is meant to deliver.
A further issue when refurbishing older hospitals is that new HVAC equipment is designed to be more efficient, with the inclusion of smaller, narrower waterways, creating more potential for blockage by contaminated water, so water treatment is even more crucial.
Time is money
With such an enormous and critical estate to manage, it is important to use approaches that support busy facilities teams. The EnwaMatic side stream approach does just this because it is a self-regulating water conditioning process that responds dynamically to the quality and quantity of water in the system.
This gives staff time to get on with other jobs around the estate. Automation also eliminates the replacement or cleaning of bag filters, cartridges and magnets reducing on-site waste collection and disposal journeys, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the system further.
Switching to alternatives
Alongside carbon reduction goals, the UK government is now driving forward with its goal to make the country a ‘clean energy superpower’ by 2030. Part of this programme is to make electricity the most cost-effective energy choice in all buildings. As a result, in the next five years, we should expect to see more NHS buildings switching their heating systems to fossil-free electric alternatives such as heat pumps. These must operate as efficiently as possible to achieve the NHS emissions cuts.
The NHS is a central part of the UK’s public infrastructure. Ensuring every building under its control is optimised for the low-carbon energy future is a challenge that must be met promptly. Including effective water treatment as part of updated heating and cooling systems will be a significant step in achieving that goal.
Condition survey
If you’d like to know more about ENWA’s approach to water treatment and side stream filtration and the prevention of performance-damaging problems in heating and cooling systems, please contact us on 01530 830 354 or email uksales@enwa.com to arrange a condition survey.
