Alder Hey Set to Be Europe’s ‘Greenest’ Hospital

Alder Hey treats over 200,000 patients each year, employs around 2600 staff and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our activities inevitably impact on the environment and, as a healthcare provider that promotes well being, we have an important responsibility to minimise this impact and ensure resources are used efficiently.

As energy and other prices continue to rise and ‘green’ legislation begins to hit home, organisations that have failed to embrace sustainability will face a costly battle to provide effective services. That’s why the long term vision of the team behind Alder Hey’s iconic Children’s Health Park is to create one of the most environmentally sustainable hospitals in Europe.

Between April 2009 and March 2010, Alder Hey consumed 7,730,338kwh of electricity, 15,938,699kwh of gas and 63,665m³of water. We also disposed of over 1000tonnes of waste, including 238tonnes of clinical waste and 657tonnes of land fill waste. Our plans for a new hospital will incorporate the need to reduce waste disposal and the use of finite resources, while also exceeding national carbon reduction targets.

The UK Government has committed to take action in reducing energy use within large organisations including NHS Trusts and has introduced the Climate Change Act with a target to cut carbon emissions. In line with this Act, the NHS has agreed to achieve a number of carbon reduction targets which include a 10% reduction by 2015, the year after the opening of our new hospital.

According to Department of Health standards, new acute/learning hospitals in the UK are expected to aim for a maximum energy use level of 55GJs (giga joules) per 100 m³, with 45 per 100 m³considered a very good rating for sophisticated acute/learning hospitals. To ensure we are at the forefront of sustainability in the NHS, we are aiming for a maximum energy use level of around 35-38 GJs per 100 m³.

With this in mind, our Children’s Health Park Project Team are giving careful consideration to how the new health park will be as sustainable as possible.

It’s a tall order, but one which Project Team member Piotr Rosinski relishes. Peter, as he’s known to his colleagues, has been seconded from Liverpool John Moores University as a part of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership initiative. A graduate from the University of Liverpool, Peter is a specialist in engineering and renewable energy and has worked on a number of commercial and healthcare sustainability projects, including the design of efficient lighting systems for Royal Bristol Children’s Hospital. His expertise is already proving extremely valuable as we aim to ensure our ‘green’ vision is achieved.

Peter says: “The Children’s Health Park has got the potential to be one of the most energy efficient and sustainable hospitals in Europe. Essentially we are aiming to build a sustainable health park where energy use, carbon footprint and recycling are critical factors. We will focus on innovation and the use of the best technology to provide the most efficient and cost effective practices.

“This may include generating heat and power simultaneously with low levels of pollutants, taping into geo-thermal heating and cooling, while considering the importance of local geology. We steered our bidders to consider the use of an aquifer as part of the cooling and heating systems to provide sustainable combined heat and power generation.

“It doesn’t stop there as we will also be looking at all aspects of the physical building, from high-performance glazing to the solar angle of the actual buildings. We want to use as much natural ventilation and natural lighting as possible throughout the health park.

“It is about being green and lean financially, while ensuring the Children’s Health Park is affordable as an NHS facility. Creating a sustainable hospital will itself produce financial savings and environmental benefits for the future.”

Our Project Team is also working closely with The Prince’s Foundation, the charity headed by HRH the Princes of Wales. The Foundation exists to improve the quality of people’s lives by teaching and practicing timeless and ecological ways of planning, designing and building.

As global warming and climate change remain high on the government and public agenda, we have a responsibility to play our part in sustainable development. We believe our Children’s Health Park has the ability to exert positive change on the state of the world’s economy and environmental/social conditions.

Link to Alder Hey's Official YouTube Channel