Willmott Dixon part of Nottingham hospital's net-zero drive

Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham is undergoing a major window replacement project to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint.

Willmott Dixon has been brought in to deliver the work by E.ON, which has partnered with Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust on its 15-year programme to decarbonise the hospital.

More than two miles of windows have already been replaced with modern frames made from 80 per cent recycled aluminium. The existing windows have been in place since the hospital opened in 1977, and their high-performing double-glazed replacements will improve air tightness, heat retention and patient comfort.

The project will be completed in 2024 and will save the hospital an estimated £5m per year in energy costs. It will also help the hospital to reduce its carbon emissions by 45 per cent by 2030. It is being funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is administered by Salix Finance on behalf of the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

The work demonstrates NUH Trust’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its desire to create a better environment for patients and staff. It is also an example of how hospitals can play a leading role in tackling climate change.

Nick Gibb, deputy managing director at Willmott Dixon, said: “Working alongside E.ON, this window refit initiative is part of a long-term proactive approach to tackle the climate crisis, something which hugely benefits NUH Trust in the form of cost savings and creating a better environment for patients and staff.

“A key part of this project was about ensuring QMC can care for its patients as normal, and we are proud to have been recognised as sustainability experts within the healthcare sector who are able to overcome the challenges posed by working in a live hospital environment.

“We are grateful to E.ON, NUH Trust and our delivery partners for their collaborative effort to achieve our shared goal of improving QMC’s offering for patients and staff, while reducing the hospital’s impact on the planet.”

Anthony May, chief executive of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “This partnership demonstrates our significant commitment to environmental sustainability and offers a creative solution to meeting our energy needs and tackling climate change, whilst at the same time improving patient and staff comfort by allowing us to better manage temperatures within our buildings.

“Innovative projects like these will play a hugely important role in helping us meet our ambitious goal of achieving a net zero carbon operation for heating and cooling system emissions by 2040.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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