A comprehensive new 120-page guide to carbon and energy saving for NHS Trusts co-produced by IHEEM, HefmA, and the Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF), which the authors say ‘covers every aspect of the energy infrastructure upgrade process’, will be launched at this month’s Healthcare Estates 2017 event in Manchester.
The first 500 copies of Implementing Energy Strategies in Healthcare Estates – A best practice guide to the Model Hospital will be available free to attendees on the CEF’s stand, and thereafter all HEJ subscribers will receive a copy with their November 2017 issue. Compilation and writing of the new guide – described as ‘an essential piece of literature for all Trusts, covering every aspect of the energy infrastructure upgrade process’, began early this year, and the April HEJ carried an article by CEF director, David Mackey, setting out the reasons for its publication. He explains: “Since Lord Carter delivered his report and recommendations in February 2016 outlining opportunities for efficiency savings and environmental benefits within the healthcare system, the NHS, social care, and public health system have had to confront some difficult challenges to ensure future investments made have the best possible outcomes for current and future generations. Without doubt, one of the biggest challenges facing all NHS Trusts is the efficient and sustainable use of energy – whether it be energy infrastructure, energy generation, energy usage, or carbon emissions.”
Writing and production of the new guide has been ongoing since late Spring, and the Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF) last month conducted an in-depth peer review of the document at the James Dyson Building at the University of Cambridge. David Mackey said: “The draft document has thus, over the last six months, been rigorously examined by a panel of delegates that included two distinguished Cambridge University professors, representatives from NHS Improvement and NHS Scotland, heads of Estates from several large NHS Trusts, the recent and current presidents of IHEEM and HefmA, the CEO and financial director at the CEF, and contributing technical authors with more than 50 years’ experience and knowledge from over 100 energy services sector projects.
“The guide was commended for its suitability for a diverse range of audiences, and its in-depth content, writing style, and design – navigation, type styling, tables, illustrations, diagrams, and infographics. As one academic said: ‘There are many books that are effectively greenwash; finally we have a guide that has real and usable content.’ As the review drew to a close, the final and most important question was posed to the panel: ‘Do you agree that the document will be of benefit to the healthcare estates sector?’ The answer was a resounding ‘yes’.”
