Carrier calls for prioritisation of ventilation in NHS infrastructure plans
As the healthcare sector begins to plan how new government infrastructure funding will be spent, Carrier is urging NHS estates teams to prioritise ventilation upgrades as part of long-term building improvement strategies.
The government’s 2025 Spending Review confirmed £750 million of targeted investment for infrastructure repairs across more than 400 NHS hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites. The funding is part of a broader £1.2 billion package to address longstanding maintenance issues, including poor ventilation, a factor that has increasingly been recognised as essential to patient care and staff wellbeing.
Matt Maleki, Business Development Manager and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Specialist at Carrier UK&I, believes this funding presents a timely opportunity to prioritise ventilation as a central part of healthcare infrastructure renewal. He commented: “IAQ plays a critical role in healthcare environments. Ventilation affects everything from infection control to staff performance. This funding opens the door for NHS estates to make meaningful improvements in how buildings perform for the people who rely on them every day.”
With the NHS estate repair backlog reportedly approaching £14 billion and many healthcare facilities still operating with ageing HVAC systems, Maleki notes that upgrading or refurbishing existing air handling and fan coil units offers a practical and scalable way to improve IAQ, particularly in older buildings facing issues with damp and poor air circulation.
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has highlighted the links between poor ventilation and risks of airborne transmission. Structural deficiencies, such as leaking roofs and inefficient HVAC systems, can contribute to mould, inconsistent airflow and elevated energy use; challenges that persist across many hospital sites.
With new funding now available, Carrier is encouraging estates teams to act decisively, to triage building services needs in the same way clinical teams prioritise patient care. By identifying where ventilation and air quality improvements will have the greatest impact, trusts can turn emergency maintenance into long-term, measurable improvements in safety, sustainability and operational performance.
