University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) has saved approximately £300,000 on its energy costs thanks to a series of green measures.
The Trust – who run the Royal Lancaster Infirmary as well as Furness General in Barrow and the Westmorland General in Kendal - has recently undertaken a comprehensive programme of pipework lagging installation and replacement across all hospital sites.
Other improvements have included upgrading Air Handling Units (AHUs) – the central systems responsible for bringing in fresh air, filtering it, and controlling temperature and humidity across clinical environments, meaning the trust can optimise operating schedules based on actual demand, ensuring ventilation is maintained where required while avoiding unnecessary runtime.
Installing energy-efficient LED lighting across hospital sites – replacing outdated lighting in corridors, wards, and departments with modern Light-Emitting Diode (LED) fittings, and updating steam systems through the installation of a modern, monitored steam trap network – including the installation of steam trap sensors across services such as heating and sterilisation. This improved responsiveness reduces steam losses, which are a significant source of wasted energy in steam systems. As a result, the upgrades enhance system reliability, reduce fuel consumption and maintenance requirements.
The trust has installed 2,230 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels across their three main hospital sites – generating renewable electricity on-site to directly offset grid consumption. This reduces exposure to rising energy costs while contributing to a significant reduction in carbon emissions.
These initiatives will save approximately £459,000, supporting the Trust’s financial sustainability and reducing exposure to rising energy costs. Based on standard NHS carbon conversion factors, these measures are delivering an estimated annual reduction of 400–500 tonnes of CO₂e across the Trust.
The UHMBT Green Plan supports the NHS’s national ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040 for directly controlled emissions, and by 2045 for those it influences.
Luke Phillips, Energy and Special Projects Manager for OneLSC, said: “The introduction of my role has enabled a more structured, coordinated and proactive approach across our three main hospital sites, ensuring estate developments align with Green Plan priorities and NHS Net Zero targets.
“During the two-year period, the Trust has made significant progress in reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency, and modernising our hospital buildings and sites. This includes the delivery of a wide range of initiatives such as upgrading critical infrastructure, installing renewable energy generation, and enhancing how we monitor and manage energy use across our estate. As a result, we are improving the resilience and performance of our facilities and creating a more sustainable and efficient environment for patients, colleagues, and visitors and achieving measurable financial savings.”
The next steps for the Trust include further decarbonisation and electrification of the estate, including the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at Furness General, exploration of charging solutions for ambulance services in collaboration with regional partners, and moving away from steam boilers at Barrow and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
Dave Sanderson, UHMBT Director of Estates and Facilities, said: “This work represents a critical step in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning towards low-carbon heating solutions across the Trust.
“The establishment of a dedicated energy and sustainability role has enabled the Trust to move from a largely reactive position to a structured and proactive programme of delivery.
‘’This has resulted in significant and measurable carbon savings, substantial recurring financial efficiencies and improved estate performance, resilience, and energy data visibility.”
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