Maritime hospital on crest of a wave

The Trust is currently in discussion with Salix Finance (an independent, publicly-funded company set up to accelerate public sector investment in energy efficiency schemes) over the possibility of Salix funding the widespread replacement of T8 fittings with T5s; anticipated savings are in the order of 40%.

The estates team is also planning to investigate the feasibility of installing automatic shutdown software, which will switch off unused IT equipment, and of closer monitoring of out-of-hours energy consumption.

“Aside from these very practical measures, which we believe will have a very substantial impact, we will be looking to further raise awareness, both of the energy reductions already achieved, and of our ongoing site-wide efforts to reduce energy consumption,” says Paul Evans

Energy champions’ role

“We could never have achieved the success we had last year, let alone won the CIBSE award, without the contribution of our energy champions, who not only undertake simple steps like turning off lights in unused rooms, but also encourage other staff to play their part and help communicate news of our various energy-saving initiatives as we go on.

“This year we plan not only to add to our current 30-strong energy champion team, but also to extend their role, for instance by carrying out departmental environmental audits, to give them a more hands-on remit. Promoting local carbon reduction initiatives on our website and working in partnership with local authorities such as Medway Council will also be high priorities. “Generally we have had excellent buy-in from staff across the board – from domestic and cleaning operatives, nurses and clinicians, to board and management personnel. Indeed the board has been extremely supportive, providing both moral support and the necessary finance. We have also had great support, practical and financial (for instance in the latter case with site energy surveys), from the Carbon Trust, and are confident we can make an even bigger impact on reducing the site’s energy consumption and carbon footprint than we did last year.”

Last year’s award-winning campaign
Last year’s campaign at Medway Maritime began last summer with a CIBSE “low carbon consultant” visiting the site and jointly agreeing with the engineers that energy-saving efforts should be principally focused on three buildings offering significant potential – a postgraduate library, a single-storey 1960s-built education centre, and a new, two-storey postgraduate medical centre. (in tandem these form the hospital’s Postgraduate Centre – pictured right) Over the following 100 days a broad package of carbon-saving measures were implemented, including better insulation of pipework, valves and other services, fitting of “person-in-room” (PIR) detectors to large lecture theatres to prevent air conditioning operating when empty, installation of self-closing taps, and improvements to heating system control. Other steps included reducing plant operating times, modifying the operation of the building management system so as to avoid overheating areas in the winter or overcooling them in the summer, reducing running of plant in unoccupied areas, and installing reflective radiator foils. Replacement also began of “old” incandescent light bulbs over patient beds to reduce maintenance costs. Energy “champions” undertook carbon reduction opportunity assessments and implemented measures including a weekly “name and shame” campaign (based on out of hours energy audits), removing used electrical equipment, introducing glass recycling and can bottle banks, and initiating a car sharing scheme Paul Evans said at the time: “Over the past three years we have looked closely at areas such as our energy consumption, with our 30 energy champions undertaking simple measures like turning off lighting in unoccupied rooms, and monitoring energy usage throughout the hospital estate. Their efforts were key to us winning the award.” Every year the Trust also has a Carbon Reduction Week for patients and staff, the key elements of which include demonstrating how relatively straightforward some “green energy” measures can be, and taking board members and management staff on energy tours during which they are show the plant room and main boiler room. “This year, in view of the ongoing focus on greener transport, our Carbon Reduction Week saw us link with the concurrent National Bicycle Week, with, for instance, cycling clubs and a number of prominent international cyclists helping us organise a range of cycle races for both adults and children,” Paul Evans explains. “We are currently, in fact, adding a second deck to our on-site multi-storey car park, which may not appear a very environmental step, but parking at the hospital, in common with many large NHS sites, can often be an issue, and is one we have really had to address.”

A naval heritage and a royal opening
Built in the early 20th Century as a Royal Naval Hospital, Medway Maritime Hospital is located close to Chatham Dockyard – once one of England’s busiest shipbuilding and naval bases. The facility cost £800,000 and boasted a main corridor nearly 1,000 feet long. One of the main features is the hospital clocktower, a local landmark, which (at the time) cost £100, and was built from funds left over from the plastering budget for the main hospital building. The hospital was opened by King Edward VII on 26 July 1905. The King performed the opening ceremony using a gold key, presented to him specially in a silver casket, before touring the day rooms, operating theatre, offices, men’s wards and kitchens.

Until 1950 Royal Marines guarded the main entrance, and visitors and tradesmen had to show a pass in order to gain access, In 1961 the NHS acquired the hospital from the Navy, the buildings and facilities were modernised as part of a £1.5 m modernisation scheme, and the hospital reopened as Medway Hospital in 1965. Significant new works at the site over the past few years have included:

The 2008 ‘100 hours’ campaign

This year’s CIBSE “100 Hours of Carbon Clean Up” campaign is the third carbon-saving initiative (the previous ran throughout 2006 & 2007) to be conducted by The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). The 2008 campaign includes a focus on enabling companies and organisations to prepare themselves for the new Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Display Energy Certificates (DECs), which are designed to clearly indicate to visitors and users of public buildings, including hospitals and other healthcare facilities, the amount of energy being consumed annually at the site, as well, over time, as providing hard evidence that efforts are being made to reduce energy consumption. CIBSE says that, once again, it will be “stressing the importance of behavioural change”. As last year, the campaign will be sponsored by E.ON.

According to the Institution, UK buildings account for 46% of all carbon emissions, while increasing energy prices are encouraging renewed interest in energy savings. New legislation makes it mandatory for commercial building owners to produce certificates (EPCs and DECs, as above) that rate their buildings’ energy performance before they can be built, sold or rented or for public display. It is believed that over 100,000 buildings will be “caught” by the requirement for EPCs each year (this came into effect from April 2008), while approx 40,000 DECs will be needed by 1 October this year.

As well as learning how they can limit the stress and cost of complying with energy certification, organisations participating in the latest CIBSE campaign will pledge 100 hours to set aside for energy-reducing activities. Carbon champions within each organisation will roll out the campaign and keep staff motivated.

Key steps to participate

The campaign will run until the end of November to give organisations a flexible timeframe within which to complete 100 hours.

The activities
CIBSE says there will be a wide variety of activities to choose from, including both no / low cost options and “more advanced options that require expert help and investment”. Guidance for participants takes the form of three “streams”: first steps, “taking strides”, and “up and running”.

Activities will include: