HEALTHCARE
NHS will need innovative construction solutions to reach net zero
The new Labour government has pledged to address the NHS’s infrastructure challenges by building new hospitals, upgrading existing facilities, and expanding healthcare capacity to meet growing demand. A key part of this investment and modernisation is ensuring that all new and refurbished buildings on NHS estates are energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable.
As with any new government, we are waiting for further information and clarity on policy changes and spending plans. But in terms of what this may mean for the construction sector, we already know that the NHS in England has set targets to reach net zero by 2040 for direct emissions and 2045 for emissions it influences.
This will drive demand for innovative green solutions, including the use of low-carbon materials, eco-friendly design, energy-efficient technologies and smart building systems, which will create significant growth opportunities for the construction sector – provided it can upskill its workforce to meet the requirements of modern, sustainable construction methods.
LINCOLNSHIRE/YORKSHIRE, UK
Hospital roof improvement plan
The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust serves a local population of more than 450,000 people and provides inpatient, day care and outpatient services.
RLB’s building surveyors were appointed to conduct a comprehensive inspection and thermal analysis of the roofs of the Trust’s three hospitals in Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole, as well as other buildings, to support its journey to net zero.
