Low-carbon operator/manager of the year
The efforts of Philip Belton, technical engineer at Medway Maritime Hospital enjoyed high-level backing from the hospital chairman and won for him the award for low-carbon operator/manager of the year. Technical measures and encouraging the involvement of people both played an important role in the drive to meet a target of 15% carbon reduction by 2010.
A major part of last-year’s efforts involved the installation of mechanical and electrical measures to cut the site’s carbon footprint. Insulated covers have been fitted to heating valves and pipework in many locations. 200 low-energy lamps in nurses’ accommodation are saving £2572 a year. 600 dimmable low-energy lamps above patients’ beds are saving 227 kg of CO2 a year. Enhanced PIR zone controls for lighting have been installed in the main restaurant, and low-energy lights and controls in the reception of the post-graduate centre. Time-delay light switches are being trialled in various storerooms and cleaners’ cupboards, with the intention of installing them throughout Medway NHS Foundation Trust.
Other measures include fitting Hydrovar inverters to the soft-water pumping system to reduce frequency from 50 to 37 Hz.
A major project to install a CHP unit in the main boiler room will reduce the trust’s annual carbon footprint by over 3000 t from
11 000 t.
A key part of the CIBSE campaign was to enhance the effectiveness of the two carbon champions, who were regularly updated on the progress of the campaign and challenged to come up with new fun and exciting ideas to cut carbon emissions in all areas of the trust and recruit new champions. New ‘carbon champion’ badges were designed so that colleagues will know who they are and make it easier to get carbon-reduction advice. Global e-mails and internal and external web sites were regularly updated with campaign progress, and a ‘greenmail’ system enables all 3500 staff to contact the energy team for advice.
