‘Securing healthy returns; Realising the financial value of sustainable development,’ calculates the potential for savings from energy efficiency measures, using existing case studies and research evidence .

The report offers impressive statistics; in the last eight years the NHS has invested £540m in a range of carbon saving technologies, including variable speed drives and CHP (combined heat and power). The result is a saving of £1.85bn over that time, cutting £190m off the 2016 NHS energy bill.

Variable speed drive technology

The report highlights variable speed drive technology as a key energy saving solution for hospitals, calculating it could save the NHS over £3.9 million by 2020.

Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) control the speed of motors, fans and pumps – matching their speed and torque to the requirements of the application and in most cases delivering considerable savings in electricity used.

Using a Variable Speed Drive to slow a fan or pump motor from 100% to 80% can save as much as 50% of the energy used. Every fan, pump or HVAC motor needs a VSD – dramatically reducing the electricity used to match the real need rather than running at full speed.

The future: why energy efficiency is essential for the NHS

With the NHS expected to find £22bn of savings by 2020, energy efficient technology investment can play a crucial role.

Sandra Easton, Chair of the HFMA NHS Environmental Sustainability Special Interest
Group said, “The £22bn efficiency saving is a huge challenge…the future of the sector and the health and wellbeing of the public depends on us living within the limits of our available resources, but we can only do this if we are able to identify where we can at the same time save money and ensure the sustainability of our environment, on which all health depends.”

Read more about how variable speed drive technology can provide simple, effective savings, or contact us.