Health Service Executive (HSE) Ireland - Capital & Estates Energy Bureau
About this good practice
The Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan sets out energy efficiency and energy related Green House Gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets which Public Sector Bodies in Ireland are legally obliged to meet. In order to assist with achieving Government set targets Capital & Estates, on behalf of the HSE, entered into a partnership arrangement with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), which established a joint co-funding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to progress the Energy Efficiency agenda in the HSE.
The HSE’s approach, through its partnership programme with SEAI, has focused on reducing energy usage and carbon emissions across 150 Significant Energy Users, which account for c. 85% of the Health Sectors energy use.
The Bureau is resourced with dedicated energy officers who work with SEUs to reduce energy usage and progress energy projects through:
• Energy Management - embedding best practices into the day to day activities of staff
• Energy Teams - supporting existing, and establishing new, energy awareness teams
• Behavioural Change - achieving energy reductions though education and behavioural change
• Project Identification - identifying energy efficiency projects for implementation
• Project Support - providing project development support and minor capital funding
The Energy Bureau also supports the implementation of an Energy Efficient and Towards Carbon Zero Design approach for all new and replacement buildings as part of the HSE’s Capital Plan.
Resources needed
The Bureau is resourced with 16 Energy Officers supporting 6 Regional Health Authorities, National Ambulance Service and Tusla. HSE Capital & Estates and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland have a co-funding agreement to progress the Energy Efficiency agenda in the HSE.
Evidence of success
The work of the Energy Bureau has contributed to significant progress towards our Government set energy and carbon reduction targets with a 20% reduction in energy related GHG emissions (average 2016-2018 baseline) and 34% improvement in Energy Efficiency Performance (2009 baseline) to the end of 2023. In 2024, 291 shallow retrofit energy projects were completed through the HSE / SEAI shared capital contribution funding arrangement resulting in an 18,080,851 kWh saving and 4,559 TCO2 reduction.
Potential for learning or transfer
While healthcare facilities can reduce energy and carbon emissions by undertaking independent energy-efficiency measures, savings are greatest when activities are part of an energy management program. The Energy Bureau model allows healthcare facilities to receive support from dedicated energy officers to reduce energy usage and progress energy projects. Energy Officers provide professional support, advise and access to funding for healthcare facilities to progress energy efficiency projects.
This coordinated approach can:
• reduce energy use and carbon emissions associated with the design and operation of healthcare buildings
• reduce negative impacts on the environment
• improve the health and comfort for building occupants
The Implementation of an Energy Efficient and Towards Carbon Zero Design approach for all new and replacement buildings as part of the HSE’s Capital Plan and the implementation of this process can also provide useful learnings for other regions.
Further information
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