Resource management company Veolia aid upgrade project at Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust’s Coombe Park estate.
The work aims to deliver a carbon reduction of approximately 25 per cent from 2030 onwards.
The project has received £21.6 million grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), which is administered by Salix on behalf of the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
The Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF) led on the development of their PSDS Salix application and procurement of the project.
Infrastructure improvements
The project for the district general hospital will deliver wide ranging energy and infrastructure improvements to save around 45,000 tonnes of carbon over the life of the contract, the company said. The upgrades have been designed using a holistic whole building approach that accounts for how facilities and the energy delivery systems interact with each other.
Planning applications for upgrades covering the desteaming of the majority of the heating distribution network, and replacing ageing infrastructure, along with the removal of the existing boiler plant and installation of a new low-carbon heating system, including 2.2MW of air and water source cascade heat pumps, was approved in February 2025.
These installations have the capacity to significantly reduce carbon emissions and will be further supplemented with low-grade and high-grade heat from the existing combined heat and power plant, and continue the steam supply to the autoclaves used for sterilisation.
On-site generation of renewable electricity will come from a new 300kWp solar array, which will reduce the carbon impact of electricity, with potential future inclusion of battery energy storage, Veolia added.
A new building management system will provide the control of all the systems and energy expenditure.
Other supporting works include building fabric improvements, new LED lighting, insulation, high voltage electrical infrastructure, and upgrading the on-site energy systems to extend the lifespan of existing equipment.
Environmental targets
John Abraham, chief operating officer of Industrial, Water and Energy at Veolia UK & Ireland said: “Our work with the Royal United Hospitals Bath over the past 13 years has provided us with a unique understanding of the site. By using this experience, and our wider carbon reducing energy projects across more than a hundred NHS sites, we will be able to deliver major carbon reductions that exceed the government’s targets, making it future proof for years to come.
“We look forward to continuing our long standing partnership with RUH and helping them achieve their environmental targets.”
Toni Lynch, chief nursing officer at Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) said: “The RUH is committed to supporting the NHS’s ambition to become the world’s first net zero health service, for the benefit of our patients, staff, and wider community. This carbon-saving project marks a crucial milestone on that journey, and we’re proud to be working in partnership with the CEF, Salix and Veolia to make it a reality.”
Director of Public Sector Decarbonisation at Salix, Ian Rodger, said: “The NHS has set itself bold net zero targets and Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust is working hard towards achieving these.
“This project will go a long way towards helping the Trust meet their net zero targets and deliver significant energy cost savings. It is a great example of how decarbonisation projects can deliver cost effective and sustainable buildings, as well as enhancing patient care.”
