BAM FM and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have been working together to deliver significant energy savings at the Trust’s Wharfedale Hospital site in Otley, West Yorkshire.
Two separate projects undertaken at the hospital have cut electricity usage on the site by more than a quarter, delivering savings which can be re-allocated to patient care.

BAM FM and the Trust’s infection prevention team worked jointly to look at studies which confirmed that that air conditioning could safely be turned off in unused operating theatres during certain periods.

Motion sensors were fitted to rooms to cut ventilation by 50 per cent after one hour without movement in a theatre. A quick start option was created to ensure theatres could be rapidly geared up for use in an emergency.

These changes have resulted in an average electricity saving of 28 per cent within Theatres, equating to more than 13,600 kWh over a year.

A second project has been to work with the Trust’s estates team on replacing all external lighting on the site with more energy efficient LED lamps. This has resulted in an electricity saving of 13,200 kWh per annum which equates to a 69 per cent reduction in lighting power use.

“BAM FM worked closely with the Trust’s infection prevention and control team to confirm that the ventilation procedure was safe for patients as well as energy efficient.

“We also worked with the Trust’s estates team to maximise the impact of the LED lamps.

“I commend our facility manager Keith Hurdley for creating value for the client by thinking outside the box. We have measured and documented the process extensively so we can reproduce it at other BAM FM sites.”