Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) has hit two Net Zero goals.

At City Hospital, the chimney has been fully dismantled and at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) the borehole drilling is complete and two of four high-efficiency heat pumps have arrived.

9,000 out of 12,000 windows have been replaced with double glazing at QMC. The remainder will be completed by early next year.

The work at QMC is is part of a partnership with E.ON to deliver a 15-year energy efficiency programme to cut CO2 emissions by around 10,000 tonnes a year.

Another part of the initiative is a new £15million energy centre, which will provide low carbon heating and cooling to the hospital site. Two of four high-efficiency heat pumps have now arrived on site. The pumps will extract heat from the air and draw from the natural warmth of the earth. To achieve this 64 boreholes descending up to 250 metres have been drilled under the car parks to provide the hospital.

It is hoped that the heat pump and borehole system will reduce the carbon emissions associated with QMC's heating and cooling systems by more than 40%, whilst also contributing to cleaner air by lowering nitrogen oxide emissions.

Mike Soroka, head of estates at QMC, said: “It’s great to see this project progressing, and anyone who has been to the QMC recently will likely have seen the scaffolding up and the window replacement underway.

“These projects are using cutting edge renewable geothermal heating and cooling technology which is important for NUH’s contribution and commitment to environmental sustainability and will also improve the experience and comfort of our patients, staff and local communities.”

NUH is the largest recipient of funding from Phase 3 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.