UK Hospital decarbonisation – Plans for NHS to become the first NetZero health care infrastructure

Under the Health and Care Act 2022, the NHS will be the first health care infrastructure to enclose a net zero pledge into legislation. Through controlling their direct emissions resulting in reducing their NHS carbon footprint to zero by 2040.

80% of NHS greenhouse gas emissions come from hot water and space heating alone. Hospitals that were built more than 20 years ago have outdated heating systems and use steam or in some cases sterilisation and humidification processes to heat space and water. Steam heating networks use gas power and need high-pressure conditions to be sustained.

The decarbonisation plan states several fundamental changes to the construction blueprint and layout of the NHS. For example, upgrading external and internal wall insulation, electric heating systems and switching to ground or air source heat pumps.

The combination of heat pumps and pre-insulated pipe networks is especially advantageous in healthcare facilities and other large building complexes, where centralised, low-carbon heating is required alongside high reliability and efficiency.

An effective way for hospitals to reduce carbon emissions from heating is by linking to a district heating system. When a hospital is located near one of these networks—especially if it operates using low- or zero-carbon energy—this approach can offer a simple and economical solution for transitioning to cleaner heat. this can be the most straightforward and cost-efficient method for decarbonising the hospital’s heating system.