Double win for Bristol’s NHS Trusts at the Energy Management Awards

University Hospital Bristol and Weston (UHBW) and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) are celebrating a double win at the Energy Management Awards. 

Matt Gitsham, Carbon and Energy Manager at NBT, walked away with Public Sector Energy Manager of the Year, with UHBW scooping the Decarbonisation Project Award for 2022.

The awards held online celebrated the significant efforts, dedication and expertise of outstanding individuals, teams and organisations in the energy management and sustainability industry.

The Trusts jointly declared a climate emergency in 2019, recognising the impact that climate change has on human health. Both Trusts set out a clear commitment to tackling climate change including an ambitious target to become carbon net zero by 2030, 10 years sooner than the national NHS target.

Since then, both Trusts have continued their commitment to sustainable healthcare, with Eugine Yafele, Chief Executive of UHBW, and Maria Kane, Chief Executive at NBT, both signing the Healthy Climate Prescription letter on behalf of their respective trusts in the run-up to COP27 last month.

UHBW’s Sustainability Team were awarded the Decarbonisation Project Award for their ongoing work to achieve their Net Zero target. One of the Trust’s highlighted projects was their Heat Decarbonisation Road Map, which outlines how UHBW plans to decarbonise. Work on the Bristol city centre site has already begun to convert to low-temperature hot water systems and replace steam boilers with dual-fuel gas boilers. This is estimated to result in a reduction of 2,122 tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) per year. 

At NBT, Matt’s work has been transformational in improving NBT’s energy efficiency. Some of the work Matt has delivered this year includes being awarded £4.3 million of Government funding to deliver heat pumps, LED lighting, Solar PV and insulation across the Southmead Hospital site. These changes are already making and will continue to make significant carbon, energy, and comfort improvement for the Trust. He’s also made numerous small changes around the Trust correcting systems, which for an outlay of £250 saved the Trust over £70k last year. Matt’s work has been instrumental in achieving net zero and Matt is a key asset to our sustainability team.

Ned Maynard, Head of Sustainability at UHBW, said: “We are very proud to be recognised alongside our colleagues at NBT as leaders in sustainable healthcare.  As a healthcare provider, we are committed to delivering exceptional care whilst addressing the environmental impact this creates. Our Sustainability Team has worked hard and achieved significant progress towards our targets, working closely with colleagues in Estates, at NBT and across all of UHBW. To achieve our vision of healthy planet and healthy people we must all work together, so please do contact the Sustainability Team if you’d like to get involved.”

Megan Murphy, Sustainable Development Manager at NBT, said: “Picking up these awards is recognition for the hard work of our sustainability colleagues and those that work alongside them to make real change. We know we work best when we work together, so seeing both Trusts recognised at these awards is fantastic - it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come since jointly setting our net zero goal in 2019. We know there are challenges ahead, but we are fully committed to creating a greener and healthier future for our staff, patients and community together.”