£5 million grant awarded to University Hospitals of North Midlands to reduce carbon emissions

A £5.4 million grant has been awarded to University Hospitals of North Midlands to reduce carbon emissions that are used to heat buildings, supporting the commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme grant from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures for four buildings at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

The grant, delivered by Salix Finance, will be used to replace four large industrial boilers in the hospital’s energy centre with local Air Source Heat Pumps and replace gas fuelled steam production with local electrical generated steam.

The work will help UHNM to meet national targets of reducing carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2028 and net zero by 2040. It will future proof the site by supporting connectivity to the locally planned District Heat Network (geothermal) in Stoke-on-Trent.

Louise Stockdale, Head of Transformation and Sustainability at UHNM, said: “The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme grant is a monumental achievement for UHNM. This investment will enable the delivery of schemes that will significantly decarbonise the heating of the estate; by approximately 1,243 tonnes of direct CO₂ equivalent emissions.

“The replacement of gas fuelled heating systems with air source heat pumps and local electrical generated steam means that UHNM is progressing towards its mandated target reducing carbon emissions from heating NHS buildings.”

She added: “Climate change poses a major threat to people’s health and the planet and this grant award demonstrates that UHNM takes its role as an ‘anchor’ institution seriously – reducing carbon emissions improves local air quality and health for the local community.”

Salix Director of Programmes Ian Rodger said: “We are looking forward to working with the University Hospitals of North Midlands on this important project as part of their ongoing decarbonisation journey.

“We are delighted to be supporting the NHS Trust as it works towards its ambitious net zero targets.”