Centrica Business Solutions accelerates Solihull Hospital’s journey to net zero with new energy centre

Centrica Business Solutions has extended its two decade-long partnership with Solihull Hospital and announced plans to develop a new energy centre as it continues to decarbonise the hospital’s estate and unlock significant savings. 

The energy centre, which is due to complete in spring 2026, will see the existing Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit replaced with an energy efficient 2MW cascade heat pump system to meet the hospital’s high heating demands.

Once operational, the state-of-the-art energy centre will deliver more than 75% of Solihull Hospital’s heating requirements and reduce its carbon emissions by 1,185 tonnes each year. 

Centrica Business Solutions has remained the hospital’s energy partner for the past 20 years and has been responsible for maintaining and upgrading the energy assets across the estate. Following today’s announcement, Centrica Business Solutions will continue to work closely with Solihull Hospital for up to 18 years.

The latest project follows a string of energy saving solutions the business has delivered for Solihull Hospital. This included modifications to the existing Building Management System to optimise performance and improve efficiency, with updated outstations and the introduction of time scheduling and set points; along with cavity wall insulation and the replacement of 2,500 lights with LEDs. These improvements, together with the new energy centre, will reduce the hospital’s carbon footprint by 1,812 tonnes per year, alongside delivering £62,000 in cost savings per year, based on the Trust’s current energy tariffs.

Operated by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Solihull Hospital is an acute general hospital providing a range of outpatient and inpatient services. Centrica Business Solutions is working closely with the Trust to ensure patient disruption is minimised throughout the project.  

Phil Bryant, Head of Business Development Business to Government at Centrica Business Solutions, said: “Hospitals are facing increased pressures to balance their intensive energy demands with cost and carbon savings across their large estates.

“We’ve been a proud energy partner for Solihull Hospital for 20 years and together we’ve worked to make the hospital estate more energy efficient by providing and maintaining low-carbon solutions. The new energy centre marks the next step on the hospital’s decarbonisation journey, and we look forward to seeing the results.”

Martin Richardson, Executive Director at Solihull Hospital, said: “Our partnership with Centrica Business Solutions has really helped us set a standard for sustainable healthcare. We’ve been able to maximise our savings as well as make the hospital a more comfortable place for patients and staff. 

“We have plans to continue to work alongside Centrica Business Solutions for years to come, with a goal of reaching net zero in the not-too-distant future.”

The energy reduction measures were funded through, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme; encompassing Salix as the delivery body with development and procurement via the Carbon Energy Fund (CEF). CEF supports NHS Trusts and public body organisations to improve energy infrastructure and reduce overall emissions. 

Paddy Hendry from the Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF) said: “We were extremely pleased to be asked by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust to lead on the Procurement and development of their continued route to net zero. This is an exceptional project to be part of, delivering sustainable Healthcare in true collaboration. The CEF managed approach embraces the project from feasibility through procurement, construction and contract and performance assurance (M&V).”