Work begins on care centre heat pump installation
1 November 2021
Hywel Dda University Health Board is enhancing its environmental credentials with the installation of three air source heat pumps at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre (opens in new tab).
Work has begun on the project that will help reduce the building’s carbon emissions by 30% and offset natural gas boilers currently serving heat to the building.
The measure is part of the health board’s wider decarbonisation strategy. To date, the health board has undertaken a number of energy saving projects, including solar PV on the community estate, energy efficient lighting, and a biomass boiler at one of the acute hospitals.
Welsh Government Energy Service (opens in new tab) conducted a feasibility assessment for low carbon heat solutions for Cardigan ICC. Support was provided to the health board to appraise low carbon heat options and how to integrate a solution into the plantroom to service lower temperature heat loads. The recommended solution was a 70kW air source heat pump and upgrade of air handling unit heater batteries to lower temperature rated units. This culminated in Hywel Dda UHB securing a £325,000 grant from Welsh Government to deliver the scheme in 2021/22.
Paul Williams, head of property performance at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “The health board is committed to the decarbonisation agenda. We have several projects and programmes in the pipeline that will reduce our impact on the environment. Over the next few months we’ll be announcing a variety of initiatives that will contribute to Welsh Government’s target for the public sector to be net zero by 2030.”
Dave Powlesland, Senior Manager from Welsh Government Energy Service, added: “The transition away from fossil fuels to low carbon renewable heat generation is one of the most difficult challenges facing the Public Sector on the route to net zero by 2030. Hywel Dda UHB’s willingness to work with the Energy Service and to take action now demonstrates both how heat pump retrofit can be achieved, and also the health boards ambition to lead by example on the net zero journey.”
The installation of the air source heat pumps is due to be completed in February 2022.
In 2019, the Welsh Government declared a Climate Emergency. It has a long-term target to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, and an ambition for the Public Sector to lead the way and be net zero by 2030 (opens in new tab).