After four years working to improve energy efficiency in community hospitals and health centres across NHS Forth Valley, the emphasis is now switching to Forth Valley Royal Hospital where usage accounts for more than half of the Board’s energy bills.
The hike in the price of gas and electricity has added extra impetus to improve performance and over the past 18 months or so NHS Forth Valley has been working with ForthHealth to identify options for improvement. Plans include installing solar panels, upgrading the chiller plant and replacing some lighting with LED lights.
Meanwhile big successes have already been achieved in the non-acute estate The majority of internal and external lighting has been replaced with LED lighting at 45 sites and 18 boiler sets have been replaced. The savings from this work were independently verified and confirmed that actual savings were 20% up on those predicted and the 10-year expected payback period was reduced to 8 years. Solar panels were installed as part of the construction on the new Doune Health Centre and on the GP & Minor Injuries Unit at Stirling Health and Care Village. Work is now underway to bring similar energy saving measures to the roof of Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre.
The shift to electric vehicles continues. Twenty-eight of the Board’s 116 transport fleet have been replaced by electric vehicles with the remainder due to be changed by 2025. And 116 electric charging points have been commissioned.
Environmental and Sustainability Manager, Derek Jarvie, is also keen to develop the green theme further.
He explained: “Making use of available greenspace to support recovery is a key requirement and this would also protect and encourage biodiversity. Larbert Woods and Lochan are shining beacons for the Board in this regard, but there is more greenspace around the Forth Valley Royal Hospital site that could be more effectively used and managed.
“This could include changes to how we maintain the grassed areas, hedges and verge across the site to improve options for pollinating species. We have also commissioned landscape consultants to look at opportunities around the Stirling Health and Care Village site, including the wooded area near the GP and Minor Injuries Unit, and this scoping work is now underway.”
