Decarbonisation Programme 2024/25
As part of the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s ongoing efforts to decarbonise its estate and align with its Community Promise and Net Zero Northumbria goals, GenNorth were appointed as the Project Manager to oversee a comprehensive programme of electrical and carbon reduction initiatives. These initiatives spanned five locations—Alnwick, Hexham, NSECH, Wansbeck, and Seaton Delaval—and included the installation of solar PV panels, AHU fan retrofits, split unit controls, CHP fan upgrades, and lighting replacements.
GenNorth’s primary responsibility involved managing the contractor to validate the initial desktop scope and achieve scope and cost certainty. This was critical to ensuring contracts were finalised by September 2024, facilitating the timely delivery of the projects within the financial year.
During the intense survey phase, GenNorth coordinated access to all five sites, ensuring that permissions were secured in a timely manner. Additionally, survey-related shutdowns were pre-agreed with stakeholders to minimize disruptions to clinical activities.
Beyond the initial project scope, GenNorth further developed plans for gas-saving initiatives, proposing air-source heat pump installations for the subsequent financial year, along with additional electricity-saving projects.
Key Achievements and Benefits
GenNorth achieved scope and cost certainty for all project elements within two months of initiation.
The team collaborated with stakeholders to establish a detailed access programme for lighting upgrades at the flagship site.
By optimising the scope of the PV installation, they reduced energy usage from the grid while staying within the approved budget.
Challenges and Solutions
Access restrictions in clinical areas: Advanced communication with key personnel ensured the contractor could schedule out-of-hours work to maintain clinical operations.
Programme delays due to restricted access: The contractor created both primary and secondary work programmes, allowing flexibility when primary spaces were unavailable.
Rapid cost certainty requirements: A collaborative approach to cost reviews provided transparency, enabling the cost consultant to identify savings and reallocate the budget effectively.
Balancing upgrades and contingency: GenNorth successfully maintained a healthy contingency while maximising upgrades within the financial year.
Scheduling shutdowns: Pre-arranged shutdowns were planned to have minimal clinical impact, ensuring uninterrupted critical operations.
Key Information
Location: North East
Date Started: July 2024
Sector: Healthcare
Services: Project Management
