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Heat pumps, solar panels and energy efficiency measures will be introduced at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) as part of a £16.2m decarbonisation project which will reduce the site’s carbon footprint by over 3,000 tonnes a year.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs RSH, secured funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, and have partnered with Vital Energi, who have developed the scheme.

Vital Energi will install a1.6MW air and water source heat pump system, which will provide low carbon heating, hot water and chilled water to buildings across the hospital site.  This will enable the Trust to remove the old steam boilers and associated gas-fired equipment and fully “de-steam” the hospital estate.

The £16.2m grant will also fund a range of energy conservation measures such as 675kWp solar panels, which will be installed on the available roof spaces, the upgrade and optimisation of the building energy management systems, upgrades of roof and pipework insultation, and the replacement of air handling unit fans units with low-energy fan systems, which will reduce the site’s energy consumption, and improve the patient and staff experience.

As part of the project, Vital Energi will be developing a Digital Twin of the heating and cooling systems which form part of the decarbonisation works. This Digital Twin will be used to gather insights of the existing system and will enable Vital Energi to optimise the design while ironing out any inefficiencies, thereby maximising the performance of the heat pump system, as well as the reliability.

When the work is complete, the investment could save the Trust an estimated £1m a year in energy costs, and will support the Trust’s Estates Decarbonisation Strategies, Green Plan and national NHS ambitions of reaching net zero by 2040.

Inese Robotham, Assistant Chief Executive and Chair of the Trust’s Climate Group, said:

“This is fantastic and exciting news for the Trust, and we’re delighted to have secured this funding. The Trust is committed to continuous investment in both our hospitals, particularly in areas which support greener solutions.

“This aligns with our vision of sustainable health services and more modern facilities that will improve the experience of our patients and colleagues.”

Vital Energi’s extensive track record of delivering complex energy solutions within hospital environments throughout the UK has allowed them to develop a deep understanding of the needs and requirements of the NHS. They recognise the need for the Trust to maintain patient services at all times and will work with staff to develop strategies to deliver the works without impacting on the normal operations of the hospital.

Vital Energi are delivering the project through the Carbon and Energy Fund Framework, which has been specifically created to fund complex energy infrastructure upgrades for public sector organisations.

The project received 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).

Director of Programmes at Salix Ian Rodger said:

“The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is having a huge impact across the country, and we are delighted to be working with the teams at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

“The funding will not only deliver a more energy efficient hospital and support the Trust’s carbon reduction plans, but it will help create a more comfortable environment for patients, staff and visitors.

“Our teams will work closely with the Trust as continues its journey to a net zero future.”

Decarbonising the built environment is not optional. It is essential. Around 40 percent of UK emissions come from the built environment, with roughly a quarter of that linked to embodied carbon from materials, manufacturing, transport and construction. Yet while operational carbon is now well understood, embodied carbon in energy infrastructure remains largely uncharted.

That is why our whole life carbon assessment work at Lancaster University matters.

Lancaster’s Net Zero Energy Project combines an 11.5MW solar farm, a 7MW heat pump energy centre and 6.5km of new district heating pipework. It is a sector leading example of infrastructure designed explicitly to remove reliance on fossil fuels. Together with Lancaster University, we applied the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment methodology not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a way to test whether existing carbon frameworks are truly fit for purpose when applied to renewable energy infrastructure.

The findings, published in the paper Applying Whole Life Carbon Assessment to Renewable Energy Infrastructure: Lessons from Lancaster University’s Net Zero Energy Project, highlight a fundamental challenge. Infrastructure built to deliver near-term decarbonisation benefits is not the same as a building, a road or a railway. Applying a 120-year reference study period to assets likely to be superseded by better technology long before that point risks obscuring their real carbon value. One of the key outcomes of this work is a clear case for the industry to refine how whole life carbon guidance is applied to low carbon energy projects.

What truly distinguishes this assessment is how it was carried out. Rather than relying on high-level design assumptions, we used real, live activity data collected directly from site. Our site teams, subcontractors and partners, alongside Lancaster University interns, enabled an unprecedented level of data granularity across the solar farm, energy centre and district heating works. This makes the assessment not just robust, but genuinely reflective of what happens on site.

This approach has implications far beyond a single project. There are currently no established industry benchmarks for embodied carbon in heat networks and energy infrastructure outside of major road and rail projects. By building a growing evidence base across live schemes, including Lancaster, Leeds PIPES and new trial sites such as Easter Bush, Energy on Clyde and Walsall, we are developing the data needed to set meaningful benchmarks, identify carbon hotspots and drive real reductions.

Just as importantly, this work is done entirely in house. That allows us to integrate carbon assessment with delivery, giving clients greater confidence in our ability not only to measure emissions accurately, but to actively reduce both our Scope 1 emissions and their Scope 3 impacts.

As embodied carbon expectations increase across tenders, policy and frameworks such as the Green Heat Network Fund and UK Net Zero Building Standard, this capability is becoming critical. Our next focus is working more closely with suppliers to improve environmental product data and deepen understanding across the value chain.

For us, whole life carbon is not an academic exercise. It is a practical tool for accelerating decarbonisation, improving how infrastructure is delivered, and ensuring low carbon energy systems deliver their full climate benefit. On Earth Day, and every day, that is the standard we are working towards.

One of the most valuable aspects of attending the annual AUDE exhibition is speaking directly with Estates Directors and energy teams who are delivering decarbonisation across the FE sector. Every year, these conversations offer a real‑time insight into the pressures facing higher education and the innovative ways institutions are responding.

Some universities are working towards ambitious 2030 net zero targets, while others are aligned with the UK Government’s 2050 deadline. Even with an additional two decades, the scale of the challenge is formidable.

Many institutions have already published detailed, costed decarbonisation roadmaps and the price tag is significant. For many, the journey to net zero will come with a £100 million+ price tag. With over 160 universities in the UK, the overall sector requirement will run into the billions.

Progress, however, remains uneven across the sector. A small number of organisations invested early and are now approaching the finish line. Many more universities are still at the initial stages of decarbonisation, and the question I was asked most often at AUDE was a simple one: “Where should we start?”

Having worked with more than 20% of the UK’s universities, we’ve seen first hand the strategies, attitudes and behaviours that build real momentum on the journey to net zero.

The project is being delivered through the NDEE framework and comes with an energy performance contract, which guarantees certain key performance indicators, such as carbon reduction, will be met, providing the College with certainty that its new heating system will perform as promised.

Start with a decarbonisation plan

We can’t overstate how impressed we’ve been by the universities that have invested time into developing robust decarbonisation plans. These documents become the blueprint for everything that follows and should be formed based on data collection and deep understanding of your Estate’s energy profiles and emissions.

A strong plan gives you a deep understanding of your energy infrastructure, how it performs, where it falls short, and where the most meaningful improvements can be made. It enables simple comparisons, such as the carbon and cost savings from replacing fluorescent lighting with LEDs, alongside more complex decisions, such as identifying the appropriate replacement for fossil‑fuelled heating and a reliance on the electricity grid.

By the end of the process, you’ll have a workable, evidence‑based roadmap, and crucially, clarity on whether you’re facing a £10 million challenge or a £100 million one.

Be ready and flexible to secure funding

No university reaches net zero through one flagship project. Even those securing headline‑grabbing £30m+ investments are only reducing their emissions by a proportion. Most institutions will need to deliver dozens of projects over the coming decades, from quick‑win energy‑reduction measures to major energy‑centre redevelopments or large‑scale renewable energy generation schemes.

Funding windows often appear quickly and close even faster. A strong decarbonisation plan helps you identify packages of work that meet a funder’s criteria, rather than waiting for funding that perfectly matches an ideal project.

Flexibility is key. If you can group and regroup initiatives in several ways, you dramatically increase your chances of being eligible for multiple funding opportunities. The universities that make the most progress are the ones able to move quickly and fluidly.

Start with the low-hanging fruit… strategically

Energy‑conservation measures are often the first place universities turn, and for good reason. They reduce energy and carbon at source, are usually self‑funded, and can be delivered with minimal disruption or as part of maintenance works. They also help reduce overall energy demand, meaning future generation or electrification solutions can be smaller and more cost‑effective.

Funding schemes often include requirements such as £ per tonne of carbon reduction. By combining high‑impact measures such as Solar PV with less cost‑effective upgrades, such as glazing, you can build packages that meet each criteria whilst retaining a ‘fabric first’ approach to decarbonisation.

Your decarbonisation plan should give you a detailed understanding of each measure, enabling you to create funding‑ready bundles with confidence.

Build internal momentum: get on your soapbox

Once you’ve created your decarbonisation roadmap, it’s vital to socialise it. Many universities have made public commitments but delivering them requires strong internal political will and this can be difficult when competing for budget with student‑facing services.

The institutions making the fastest progress are those with a proactive approach to internal and external communication. Be vocal. Be visible. Advocate relentlessly for your decarbonisation agenda. Your work will only gain traction if internal enthusiasm matches the public commitments being made.

When competing for internal budget, you need to demonstrate the strategic value, and often the financial return of your initiatives. Sharing early wins is critical: use data to highlight impact, build confidence and secure support. One NHS estates manager told me that raising the internal profile of sustainability work was “one of the most important things you can do”.

Declaring a climate emergency or announcing a 2030 target only matters if you follow through. We’re proud to have partnered with many of the UK’s universities over multiple phases of decarbonisation projects and all our partners have one common trait – passionate people in their organisation who drive change and continue to achieve phased steps towards their net zero ambitions.

Finally… don’t overthink it, something is better than nothing

Your decarbonisation road map is an evolving document, and you don’t need to begin with a “set-in stone” list of priorities.  Simply beginning the process can bring greater clarity, allowing you to get a better understanding of the potential phases.

Also, don’t let the size of your net zero challenge overwhelm you.  Even the projects which have multiple projects under their belt didn’t have a full sequence of project and phases from day one.  They created an overarching plan which could be adopted to suit available funding streams, access windows and the life cycle stages of existing infrastructure.

Once you have your basic plan, you can begin to build on it, crafting your long-term strategy over time.

Lancaster University are transforming the way they heat their campus with a multimillion-pound decarbonisation project, which has just passed a major milestone with the completion of the 6.5km district heating network.

The heat network is made up of a series of highly insulated, underground pipework, which will distribute low-carbon heat across the campus, supplying approximately 250 buildings across the campus. Originally, the network supplied only 65% of the University’s buildings, but the new expansion will see that rise to 95%.

Scott Lutton, Regional Director for Vital Energi, explained, “The University has around 15,000 students, and we know how important protecting the environment and tackling climate change is to them. This project will allow the University to benefit from low-carbon heating every day.”

In addition to the completion of the heat network, the new Energy Centre 2 has seen strong progress with key areas like the external envelope, thermal stores and heat pumps now in place. Once complete, the mixture of water and air source heat pumps will be capable of creating 39-Giggawatt Hours of low-carbon heat and hot water.

This project is a core part of the University’s target to achieve net zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. strengthening their position as leaders in sustainability.

A new energy centre begins to take shape

Construction of the new energy centre at Trippett Street car park has begun, with steelworks now in place forming the framework of the building. The facility will house air source and water source heat pumps, delivering instant low carbon heat and hot water to council buildings, educational institutions, and private sector businesses. Once complete, the team will move on to the internal works of the structure, taking small steps toward this major initiative. In the future, the scheme plans to supply residential buildings as well.

Pipework progression across the city

In addition to the energy centre, approximately 5km of underground insulated pipework will be installed across some of Hull City Centre’s major streets and roads. Works have already commenced at various locations and are progressing well in line with the construction programme, whilst also ensuring access to businesses and buildings is maintained where possible. Once the network is fully installed and operational, these pipes will efficiently transfer heat generated at the energy centre to connected buildings.

Plans for the future

These groundworks are just the beginning of a project set to transform Hull’s energy landscape. During 2026, pipework will be installed underneath the River Hull, via the Drypool Bridge underground tunnel, which will connect to future opportunities.

We are working alongside other developers and experts to further enhance the scheme for the city of Hull.

Reaching the community

Above construction works, the project is also about the growth of Hull’s economy, with job creation, education and more. In the coming weeks, we will begin to see more of this commitment come into fruition through our collaboration with Hull College who will provide us with access to deliver learning opportunities, skills development and community engagement.

As part of the scheme, other commitments will include local school and college engagement, site visits for students, work experience placements, apprenticeship opportunities, and the use of local supply chain to name a few. The scheme is projected to save an estimated 110,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 40 years; the equivalent of almost 1,900 cars being taken off the road each year. Through our partnership with Hull City Council, we endeavour to deliver a project that not only reduces carbon emissions and creates a greener, healthier environment, but also deliver a range of community benefits to the residents of Hull.

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Member of Parliament for Solihull West and Shirley, visited the Solihull Energy Network to see how the project is helping to reduce the town’s carbon emission by 1,070 tonnes during Phase 1.

During the visit, the MP toured the new energy centre, joined a discussion on local energy ambitions and chatted to one of the apprentices supporting the delivery of the scheme.

The visit forms part of a wider programme of engagement events, which showcase how heat networks can help towns and cities deliver more affordable and resilient sources of energy and heat to their buildings.

The network will supply well-known local landmarks, including, but not limited to:

• Solihull College
• Tudor Grange Academy
• Tudor Grange Leisure Centre
• The Core

When complete, the project will feature a low‑carbon energy centre powered by rooftop air‑source heat pumps, which draw warmth from the ambient air and store it in 100,000‑litre thermal vessels.  This heat is then distributed through a 5km underground heat network.

We asked Vital Energi’s team of experts what 2023 holds for the industry. From growth areas to challenges and the technologies which will make an important impact, here’s what they predict for the coming year.

The Global Banking School (GBS) has expanded significantly in recent years, opening new campuses across London, Manchester and Birmingham, as well as international sites in Dubai and Malta.

In 2021, they opened their first site in Leeds at the St George House campus. They have since taken on a second building and student numbers have risen from around 1,000 to approximately 5,000 across Leeds.

We visited the campus to meet Lewis Oswin-Bateman, Facilities Manager, and John Ward, Regional Facilities Manager, to learn about system reliability, how the network is contributing to the student experience, and what sustainability means to them.

Can you tell us about how you came to be connected to the Leeds PIPES heat network?

John: As a company, we’ve expanded significantly throughout the UK and added international sites. We wanted a presence in Leeds and in 2021 we entered a 15-year lease with the Council for the building. The Council had already connected the building to Leeds PIPES, so the pipework was in place and the plant room finished.

Is it important to GBS to have sustainable solutions for energy and did Leeds PIPES fit into that?

John: It’s the way GBS wants to go, and the heat network offers that to them. As a business, we tend to do 15-year leases, so undertaking the connection ourselves for a limited period may not have made business sense, but because it was already installed, it was a good solution for us.

As leaders, we need to demonstrate that we want to save energy. When we have to produce, we should ask ourselves, “can we look at better ways of producing that?”

Lewis: What’s interesting is that the district heating network is renewable. The heating comes from the Energy from Waste plant, and I organised a site visit so I could understand more about where the heat comes from. I think the Leeds PIPES project is an amazing initiative and comparing it to our other site in Leeds, which is gas, you’ve got a lot less compliances as well, with things like gas servicing. Also, there’s no combustion, so it’s a lot safer on that side of things.

Can you compare the benefits of being connected to a heat network with your other sites which use gas boilers?

Lewis: For me, as someone who has to handle all the heating, it’s no hassle. Compared to managing the boilers and all the fan coil units down at our other site, I have more stress there than I do here. This system is a lot easier to think about and fix.

John: It’s the reliability that’s great. The water comes into the building, goes through the plate heat exchanger, through the building pipes and back out. You really can’t get much simpler than that. It’s ideal for hospitals, universities and organisations which can’t have downtime and I’d say it’s proved its worth here.

So, as well as simplicity, it’s also about reliability.

Lewis: It’s one less thing to think about. I know if this system ever went off, I could give Vital Energi a ring and someone would come out and fix it. It’s about reliability and we know that heating is going to be there.

John: We’re five winters in with Leeds PIPES and we’ve never had a major issue with the heating. From my experience, if it was a gas boiler, we’d have had at least one instance where we came into a freezing cold building because the system had gone down.

How does maintenance of a heat network stack up against fossil‑fuelled solutions?

John: I think it’s a lot better. We’ve had one minor issue which was rectified and didn’t affect performance, and we’ve been in the building five years. This is opposed to situations where we’ve taken over a building and then we’ve got to get the servicing of the boilers and practical things like that. These can be coming up to the end of their lifecycle and need replacing, but the plate heat exchangers are simpler.

Lewis: From our perspective, all we do is treat the heat exchangers like boilers. All the pump systems, all the Building Management System settings are the same, so that side of things is fairly familiar.

John: Vital just come out once a year for an inspection.

How’s the responsiveness when you report an issue?

John: We’ve got a contact number so any issues we can just call that. We had an engineer in from another company who’d accidentally hit the “stop” button instead of the light switch on their way out of the plant room. A Vital engineer came, realised that had happened and got the system going again.

You’ve grown as a business, so presumably the way you use energy has changed. How does the system meet the increased needs?

Lewis: In total, between here and our other site we’ve grown to around 5,700 students.

John: And because we’re not a typical university, we have three intakes a year. When we first opened this in 2021 people were coming in and doing four-year courses, but they were part-time and only did two days per week and they tended to be staggered. We’ve also increased opening times from five days to seven days per week.

Has the system been able to accommodate that increase?

John: Yes. We’re looking to get maximum use out of the building, so in those really cold months – December, January, February – the heating will be on constantly, and it meets those needs. We want student comfort, so we make sure it’s between 20 and 23 degrees.

How important is sustainability for your students and what does it mean to know they get their heat from a renewable source?

John: Any time you can reduce your energy usage or carbon by a percentage, it has to be worthwhile. Not all countries are as committed as we are, but we can show the students that we’re doing our bit, as a company, and we can look at it from a global perspective because we’re a global company.

The students are on board with that.

Lewis: We have construction management courses, and those students are really in tune with how we’re going to have to be more sustainable going forward. They’re very technically knowledgeable and they’re the ones who come to us and ask direct questions about our sustainability. We can talk to them about things like our waste management contract and how 100% of waste is diverted from landfill. The Leeds PIPES connection is part of that.

Are you looking to improve the building further

John: We’re currently updating the radiators, which are probably from the mid‑1980s, when it was built, and that will make the heating more effective.

Lewis: What we need to balance is that we take 15-year leases, so our investments reflect that, but we’ll explore any solution if we think it benefits us and makes us more sustainable, from assessing solar and the Building Energy Management System, to the possibility of taking our hot water from Leeds PIPES as well as heating.