Nwicker60
04-Dec-12, 15:55
Hospital will share in £5m to reduce carbon footprint
CAITHNESS General Hospital is to go green!
It is one of 13 hospitals in the Highlands which will go over to a biomass heating system.
NHS Highland Board heard today that over £5.5m will be spent over the next year in an attempt to reduce the Board’s carbon footprint and become more energy efficient. A potential further application for £1.4m is pending a final decision.
The money, comes from the Scottish Government’s recently announced £24m funding package for eco-hospitals in Scotland , will be used to install biomass heating systems at 13 sites across Highlands including Raigmore Hospital and Argyll and Bute .
It will also be used to install more energy efficient lighting as well as investment in solar power.
Gordon Macdonald, NHS Highland’s Energy and Sustainability Manager, explained that he hopes this investment will make NHS Highland a leader when it comes to all things green.
He said: “Our carbon footprint is about 30,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. With the work we have planned over the next few years we are looking to reduce this by 40%. We have in place plans to install biomass heating systems at 13 of our sites across Highland, once done our carbon emissions will drop by about 30% and our use of oil for heating will go down by more than 80%."
Mr Macdonald continued: "These savings will allow future investment in secondary savings – further enhancing NHS Highland as leader in terms of energy efficiency reducing our carbon footprint.”
He goes on to explain that heating systems are just one part of where investment is being made and that reducing electricity demand is just as important.
He said: “We will be looking to use more energy efficient fittings, such as lighting, and will also be looking self-generation such as increasing solar installations. Not only will this help in reducing our carbon footprint but will also cut the cost of consumption. This funding, along with the support we have from the Carbon Trust, will provide a large and significant step towards a self-sustaining cycle of ongoing energy and emissions reduction. We now have the opportunity, for the first time, to look beyond the high consuming large sites and improve the energy efficiency of every site within our estate. The only true sustainable future for our energy needs is 100% renewable heat and power – and we are well on target to achieve both.”
CAITHNESS General Hospital is to go green!
It is one of 13 hospitals in the Highlands which will go over to a biomass heating system.
NHS Highland Board heard today that over £5.5m will be spent over the next year in an attempt to reduce the Board’s carbon footprint and become more energy efficient. A potential further application for £1.4m is pending a final decision.
The money, comes from the Scottish Government’s recently announced £24m funding package for eco-hospitals in Scotland , will be used to install biomass heating systems at 13 sites across Highlands including Raigmore Hospital and Argyll and Bute .
It will also be used to install more energy efficient lighting as well as investment in solar power.
Gordon Macdonald, NHS Highland’s Energy and Sustainability Manager, explained that he hopes this investment will make NHS Highland a leader when it comes to all things green.
He said: “Our carbon footprint is about 30,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. With the work we have planned over the next few years we are looking to reduce this by 40%. We have in place plans to install biomass heating systems at 13 of our sites across Highland, once done our carbon emissions will drop by about 30% and our use of oil for heating will go down by more than 80%."
Mr Macdonald continued: "These savings will allow future investment in secondary savings – further enhancing NHS Highland as leader in terms of energy efficiency reducing our carbon footprint.”
He goes on to explain that heating systems are just one part of where investment is being made and that reducing electricity demand is just as important.
He said: “We will be looking to use more energy efficient fittings, such as lighting, and will also be looking self-generation such as increasing solar installations. Not only will this help in reducing our carbon footprint but will also cut the cost of consumption. This funding, along with the support we have from the Carbon Trust, will provide a large and significant step towards a self-sustaining cycle of ongoing energy and emissions reduction. We now have the opportunity, for the first time, to look beyond the high consuming large sites and improve the energy efficiency of every site within our estate. The only true sustainable future for our energy needs is 100% renewable heat and power – and we are well on target to achieve both.”