UHNM begins work on £5.4 million net zero carbon emissions project

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) will start work this week on its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

The Trust’s Estates, Capital Development and Transformation and Sustainability teams will begin a two-year project to reduce carbon emissions at the Royal Stoke University Hospital by replacing four large industrial boilers used to heat the hospital with local Air Source Heat Pumps and replace gas-fuelled steam production with local electrical generated steam.

Work to install the heat pumps as well as almost 100 solar panels on the roof of two buildings will start on Friday, increasing the efficiency of our Estate and helping UHNM to meet the national targets of reducing carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2028.

Two heat pumps will be installed this year with a further two during 2025.

Work is already underway to install energy-saving LED lights in three buildings on site.  

The project has been made possible thanks to a £5.4 million Decarbonisation Scheme grant from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The work will also future proof the site by supporting connectivity to the locally planned District Heat Network (geothermal) in Stoke-on-Trent, further reducing gas combustion and associated direct carbon emissions.

Lou Jenkins, Transformation Project Manager at UHNM said: “We are delighted that work is underway on this monumental project, enabling the delivery of schemes that will significantly decarbonise the heating of our estate. The replacement of gas-fuelled heating systems with air source heat pumps and locally generated steam means UHNM is not only progressing towards its mandated carbon emission targets, but improving local air quality for our staff, patients and local residents in our surrounding community.

“It’s great to have this new technology coming into UHNM, and for all the hard work of our Estates and Sustainability teams coming to fruition.”