The Department of Health last month issued “climate change guidance documents” whose aim it said was to encourage health sector workers, including health estates and facilities managers and healthcare engineers, to “play their part in tackling the health effects of climate change”.
- Designing buildings that stay cool in hot weather; warm in winter, are floodresistant, and “promote summer cooling” by increasing internal and external shading.
- Promoting buildings with green spaces, which provide “healing views”, but equally assist cooling and flood run-off.
- Effective spatial planning and “appropriate” land use.
- Good “housekeeping” measures, such as resetting building (for instance heating) controls, switching off computers and lights when not in use, using Combined Heating and Power (CHP), and undertaking carbon audits.
- Monitoring NHS progress against energy targets using the ERIC (Estates Returns Information Collection) system.
- Managing the £ 100m funding programme to help NHS organisations implement improvements in electrical efficiency, building insulation and CHP installation.
- Setting carbon emissions reduction targets in line with the Climate Change Bill.
- Continuing to use the NHS Environmental Assessment Tool (NEAT) in which the service must achieve score ratings for new builds and refurbishments.
- Signing energy contracts with “100% renewable energy” providers, and considering technology to increase renewable energy use.
- Following sustainable transport policies, including maintaining vehicles to maximum efficiency.
- Ensuring sustainable catering and food procurement policies; and
- Promoting local employment and skills.
