The Royal United Hospital (RUH) in Bath has applied for planning permission to make its heating system more eco-friendly. The bid to replace its “ageing, inefficient” heating system comes after securing a £21.6 million grant from the government to become more eco-friendly.
If plans are approved, the gas boilers will be replaced with a new electric heating system called a ASHP (air source heat pump). ASHPs work by transferring warmth from the air outside into the building and require less energy than gas boilers. This would cut the hospital’s carbon emissions by 19% initially and 25% by 2030.
Toni Lynch, Chief Nursing Officer for the RUH, said: “The RUH is aiming to reach Net Zero for scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2030, in line with Bath and North East Somerset Council, and for the benefit of all of the people in our community. Decarbonising our site, and moving towards cleaner, more energy-efficient options, is essential in helping us reach this goal.
“We are very grateful to all the partners who are working together with us on this exciting project to make these vital changes.”
Scope 1 carbon emissions refer to emissions from something a company directly owns. For example, putting coal in your fireplace is a scope 1 emission.
Meanwhile, scope 2 emissions refer to emissions from outside companies that we use. For example, turning on a radiator means using energy sourced from your provider, which in turn causes emissions.
Finally, scope 3 emissions are more indirect. For the RUH, scope 3 emissions would include the petrol that’s burned when patients drive to the hospital or when employees commute to the hospital for their shifts. Naturally, these are the hardest emissions to address.
Gas boilers have become a hot-button issue in the so-called ‘culture wars’. One one hand, gas boilers are often cheaper to run. However, they are less energy efficient than electric boilers. Another positive feature of electric boilers is that they eliminate the risk of gas and carbon monoxide leaks.
The former Conservative government had introduced plans to ditch the making of new gas boilers from 2035. However, earlier this week The i Paper reported that the Labour government is set to scrap these plans.
Work on the RUH’s new heating system would be finished by 2026 if planning permission is granted. There is currently just one comment on the planning application.
The deadline for commenting on the planning application is Thursday, January 23. You can comment on the application on Bath and North East Somerset’s planning portal by using the reference code 24/04758/FUL. Planners will determie the fate of the application at a later date
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