Mid Yorkshire Trust revives dated hospital with pioneering green technology

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, has secured government decarbonisation funding for its Dewsbury and District Hospital site – through Salix – for new solar panels, air source heat pumps and a new low carbon heating system to be installed in the nurses’ accommodation block, known as Cullingworth House.

Yorkshire based building services engineering company, GW Power-Safe, is carrying out the complete transition of all heating systems at Cullingworth House from gas to electric by installing two Clade air source heat pumps. It is also installing 30 solar panels to provide some of the additional electrical requirements for the heat pump solution. A detailed programme of mechanical and electrical works will be carried out by the firm, with work set to complete by early next year.

GW Power-Safe’s sister company, sustainability consultancy C3 Group, supported the hospital with its application for government funding for the design and construction of the low carbon system through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).

Phase 4 of the PSDS funding has now been released but organisations will need to act fast to secure it, before it closes in a few weeks’ time. The grant funding is available to public sector organisations in England to invest in decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures in buildings served by a fossil fuel heating plant approaching the end of its life, which is generally 10 years or older. A minimum of 12% of the total cost of any project will need to be met by the public sector organisation, with up to 88% of the funding being provided as a grant.

Ash Wray from C3 Group, which operates nationally from its Hull headquarters, said: “Cullingworth House is a dated building, and it had a very old and inefficient heating system. We immediately identified several ways it could be improved using the latest green technology and with our experience working with the public sector and Salix funding.

“This is the first investment in renewable energy by the hospital and the air source heat pumps will deliver 58 tonnes of carbon savings annually, with a further 2.5 tonnes coming from the solar panels. This is a fantastic result for both the environment and the hospital’s energy bills.

Ash added: “We are encouraging public sector facilities managers and building managers to act now to access the latest round of funding. As evidenced by the project at Dewsbury and District Hospital, it’s an invaluable source of finance that ultimately helps the public sector to access sustainable energy solutions.”

C3 Group is currently supporting over 30 PSDS applications helping hospitals, schools and social housing associations secure the vital funding. A significant proportion of those plan to use GW Power Safe to complete the works.

Daniel Haley from GW Power-Safe: “We have a unique proposition where we can oversee the full decarbonisation process from start to finish. C3 Group secures the specialist funding and grants for organisations to invest in reducing their carbon footprint, as well as specialising in creating and implementing energy strategies, decarbonisation plans, low carbon feasibility studies, sustainable building designs, energy efficient retrofits and net zero schemes.

“GW Power-Safe can then provide a full range of renewable energy, mechanical and electrical solutions to deliver the project. C3 Group and GW-Power Safe is therefore in a position to provide a full turnkey, end-to-end solution to both to the public and private sectors.”