FRIDAY, 31 JANUARY, 2025

Photograph attached: l-r Mark Anderson Associate Director of Facilities - Property at NHS Tayside, Evan Reilly Construction Degree Apprentice at Vital Energi, David Gibson Head of New Works at NHS Tayside and Scott Roe, Project Manager at Vital Energi

NHS Tayside set to save over 3000 tonnes of carbon in journey to Net Zero

NHS Tayside’s ambitious decarbonisation works across three sites will revolutionise how energy is generated and used. This latest milestone will see a host of innovative upgrades that will improve energy generation, reduce waste and is expected to save over 3000 tonnes of carbon over the project’s lifetime.

As part of a project between NHS Tayside and Vital Energi, works are being carried out at Abbey Health Centre in Arbroath, Westgate Health Centre in Dundee and St. Margaret's Hospital in Auchterarder, Perthshire. By embracing cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices, NHS Tayside is taking steps towards creating a greener future for our patients, staff, and communities across Tayside and beyond. Improvements include:

• Solar Power: 269 rooftop solar panels will be installed across three sites, generating 139kWp of renewable electricity

• Efficient Heating: Five powerful heat pumps, with a combined output of 300kW and 20,000 litres of thermal storage, will deliver energy-efficient warmth

• Improved Insulation: Upgrades to prevent heat loss will boost building efficiency

• Smarter Heating Controls: New systems will optimise energy use for patient comfort and savings

• Windows and Doors: 124 windows and 9 doors will be replaced for better energy retention

• Modern Lighting: 382 outdated light fittings will be upgraded to smart, energy-efficient LEDs with intelligent controls

These measures will deliver substantial environmental and financial savings and the upgrades on these sites will provide valuable learning to help support future decarbonisation projects across the remaining NHS Tayside estate.

Mark Anderson, Associate Director of Facilities - Property at NHS Tayside, said, “This is a major milestone for NHS Tayside as we work towards our Net Zero goals. By investing in these energy-efficient technologies, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also creating more sustainable and efficient healthcare facilities for our patients and staff.” 

The works are aligned with the Scottish Government’s target for public sector organisations reaching Net Zero by 2040 and eliminating fossil fuelled heating by 2038. The project has received £3.2m in funding from the Green Public Sector Estate Decarbonisation Scheme (GPSEDS).

Contact:

Abigail Reid

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740716