Boilers - Condensing Boilers to cut NHS emissions

30/05/2008

The UK's largest employer has vowed to reduce its carbon footprint through the use of efficient boilers and effective heating controls.

As part of the government's drive to lower carbon emissions, the NHS will adopt more sustainable energy practices to become more environmentally friendly.

The £10-million Kentish Town integrated health centre is a flagship development to demonstrate the proposals and uses modular cascading boilers and intelligent Building Management System heating controls to maximise energy reductions.

Other features, such as solar-powered wind catches and highly insulted walls, further reduce the building's carbon emissions.

Launching the strategy at the centre, health minister Ivan Lewis commented: "Climate change is one of the greatest threats to our health and wellbeing. Climate change is happening on our watch - it will be our legacy. We must all work together to tackle this global problem."

The NHS causes more 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year and is responsible for three per cent of England's total.

Writing in the Guardian this week, prime minister Gordon Brown said that becoming a low-carbon country is an economic as well as environmental priority for the UK.