Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Low Carbon Skills Fund

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust commissioned S I Sealy to undertake numerous energy surveys using the Low Carbon Skills Fund to support their application for Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding. The surveys incorporated building surveys and individual detailed reports identifying the most feasible decarbonisation solutions for nine separate buildings: Chest Clinic, Charity Lodge Building, Community Rehabilitation Unit, the School of Physiotherapy and the Annex, Security Lodge, Hydrotherapy Pool, Winnicott Centre, and Gaskell House.

When implemented, these measures have the potential to reduce energy use and carbon emissions from the nine buildings surveyed by between 16% and 85%. The overall result for all nine buildings showed a potential carbon reduction of 172 tonnes per annum.

Each energy survey was tailored on a building-by-building basis, gathering data from the systems, infrastructure, building services efficiency and condition, fabric efficiency and condition, layout, and occupancy patterns. Energy Modelling was carried out using EDSL TAS for each building together with Thermal Comfort and Wellness reporting to demonstrate compliance with thermal comfort metrics. After analysing a variety of carbon reduction measures and taking the project constraints into account, a viable solution was proposed for each building.

Conducting these energy surveys demonstrated real opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and reduce energy use whilst simultaneously improving thermal comfort conditions within each building. Even within buildings where improvements are limited due to factors such as listed status and disruptions, opportunities for carbon reductions still exist.

The energy surveys revealed that several building systems had been incorrectly commissioned and installed and were therefore operating sub-optimally. These reports guided the client on potentially implementing measures, including recommissioning systems to avoid future environmental control errors, which, together with installing a range of renewable energy technologies, have the potential to eliminate the future need for fossil fuels.