Record-breaking heatwaves across the UK have shone a light on the issue of inadequate air conditioning in hospitals. This summer’s soaring temperatures caused intense discomfort and health risks for patients and nurses in medical centres with little or inadequate cooling systems.
The Royal College of Nurses (RCN) claims nurses were collapsing as temperatures inside wards hit 36°C because of ageing and unfit-for-purpose heating and ventilation infrastructure. More hospitals and other large estates are turning to heat pumps – an efficient heating system that extracts ambient heat from the air or ground and usually lasts 15-20 years in a commercial setting before needing to be replaced.
Chris Reilly is Founder of West Midlands-based Zeuner, which takes heat pump systems that have reached their end-of-life and provides replacement components that fit seamlessly into the existing real estate.
He said: “Heat pumps are more than just a low-carbon alternative to a gas boiler. Some heat pumps, such as air source models, also do the opposite – moving heat out of the property. The same technology that provides the building with hot water in December can also help cool it in July by removing heat from inside the home and releasing it outside.
“This scorching summer, sadly the latest of many to come, has been a wake-up call for administrators to replace outdated HVAC systems. The RCN says patients and clinicians have endured ‘inhumane and intolerable’ conditions, and the NHS and government must put in place infrastructure that reflects and adapts to a changing climate.”
Chris says that the cost of a replacement heat pump system is driving some large commercial and civic estates to seek out fossil fuel alternatives, despite being less efficient and sustainable in the long-term.
“Environmental legislation surrounding buildings is tightening, so adopting carbon-intensive and inefficient legacy systems is a retrograde and shortsighted solution,” he adds.