Green Plan and Decarbonisation Strategy

Green Plan

Our Green Plan identifies a framework of interventions that are needed to help
us become one of the greenest NHS hospital Trusts in the UK and, as an anchor
institution, play a vital role in reducing carbon emissions across Leeds.

The key focus areas are:

• Making our buildings more energy efficient
• Promoting active travel such as cycling, lift sharing and public transport
• Innovative approaches to care and sustainable medicines
• Waste management and reducing plastic use
• Improving biodiversity and green spaces across our sites

Estates Decarbonisation Strategy

We have a complex estate portfolio covering 500,000 square metres, with buildings varying in age, heritage, condition and suitability for clinical delivery. With an estate of such size, energy demands and the fabric of our buildings accounts for a significant proportion of our carbon emissions. To address this, we have produced the Estates Decarbonisation Strategy “A Roadmap to Net Zero Carbon”, and each of our five hospital sites now has a roadmap detailing what interventions are needed to become carbon neutral. 

Some of this work is already taking place, and includes:

• Installing air source heat pumps, which will reduce the consumption of natural gas
• Installing photovoltaics (PV) for electrical generation
• Energy efficient LED lighting
• Replacing single glazed windows with low U value double glazing to reduce building fabric heat loss
• Installing draft proofing
• Repairing roofs and installing flat roof insulation

Another key initiative is connecting Trust buildings to the local district heat network. The Leeds PIPES heating network uses heat and energy recovered from the incineration of non-recyclable waste from households and businesses across the city, including the Trust, to provide a low-carbon alternative to the traditional burning of fossil fuels for hot water heating.