Meeting the Retrofit Challenge in Healthcare Estates

Applying a carbon neutral programme approach to the whole estate to address the retrofit challenge; the benefits of cross-sector learning using relevant case studies from Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and Hampshire.
With a lack of clarity surrounding the roadmap to net zero it is difficult for leaders in public bodies to understand where to begin, what to monitor and how to report progress and maximise the potential of funding. Irrespective of the sector or organisation, a programme approach that examines all estates related functions for the existing and planned new build estate, against the funding routes and Net Zero Carbon aspirations will ensure consistency and maximise outcomes, resulting in time and cost efficiencies.
HCC, in response to the Public Sector NZC target of 2030, and achieving government funding for decarbonisation, invested in the development of the Carbon Neutral Herts programme. In essence this initially recognised the school estate, both existing and planned and the funding pots available to the local authority. This looked beyond the capital workstream for the existing estate to also look at the new school build programme and FM function to create a NZC strategy for the entire property portfolio.
The impact of this approach has been particularly successful for the FM function with a Business as Usual (BAU)+ approach adopted that utilises a variety of funding streams bringing decarbonisation to the heart of delivery. This has been so successful that it has been mirrored across the organisation’s wider estate, subsequently also being adopted by other local authorities.

Benefits include:

• Robust data capture and analysis providing a roadmap built on quality data, enhancing informed decision making and enabling progress tracked against targets
• A comprehensive database supporting funding bid, which provides a mechanism for speedy/effective responses to funding submission deadlines i.e., HCC achieved £24m of funding from 3 applications for decarbonisation works across 218 buildings, including window walling, solar panel works and ASHP installations.
• Continuous monitoring and evaluation of progress against performance indicators
• Trend analysis
• Identification of innovation and best practice
• Lessons learnt captured and used to strengthen future delivery
• Achievement of procurement efficiencies