University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust has been guaranteed a reduction in energy costs by £1.6 million a year following energy upgrades.

Vital Energi is installing modern energy generation equipment at University Hospital and the Hospital of St Gross as part of a scheme worth £6 million.

A combined heat and power (CHP) unit is being integrated into the complex waste compound system at University Hospital, with comprehensive modifications to facilitate the new technology.

This will deliver low cost and low carbon heat and power supply to the hospital under an energy performance contract (EPC) that guarantees the savings for 15 years.

The project also includes upgrades to the building management system at the Hospital of St Cross and upgrading 2,000 lighting fittings to new efficient LED bulbs.

Vital Energi expects the two hospitals to reduce carbon emissions by more than 4,000 tonnes a year.

Steve Black, Account Director at Vital Energi, said: “This innovative solution is the first time Vital have integrated new energy generation equipment into a large PFI Hospital.

“We had to assess the existing energy system and existing building to design a solution that would cater for the hospital’s needs without making any major modifications to the building’s infrastructure.”

Work is expected to be completed by March 2020.