The new National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, will be the first operational carbon neutral building in the NHS.
The facility is set to open later this year and aims to drive forward the health service’s climate commitment as it aims to reach net zero by 2040.
The NRC is being built as part of the New Hospitals Programme and will be based on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate between Nottingham and Loughborough.
It will bring together the best expertise and resources in rehabilitation treatment, training and research under one roof.
All-electric and feature three air source heat pumps (ASHPs), and 900m2 of solar panels, the facility has been designed to a new standard of energy efficiency for the NHS. The solar panels are predicted to provide 10% of the building’s energy needs.
The NRC will have capacity to treat 750 patients a year through intense rehabilitation programmes.
Nick Carver OBE, chair of Nottingham University Hospitals said of the ongoing construction: “The completion of NUH’s groundbreaking National Rehabilitation Centre is a fantastic milestone for the Trust and the NHS in England.
“It demonstrates that the very best in sustainability and patient rehabilitation are achievable together, with life-changing treatments, research and training going hand-in-hand with our rock-solid commitment to the environment.
“It also showcases exactly what this Trust and our NHS is capable of delivering with the right ambition after funding was secured via the New Hospitals Programme, and we couldn’t be more excited for the centre to open its doors.”
The NRC is being spotlighted in Great Big Green Week - the UK’s biggest celebration of community action to tackle climate change.
Miriam Duffy, director of the National Rehabilitation Centre, said: “Not only will the NRC sit at the heart of rehabilitation treatment in the UK, we hope it can also serve as a model for future net zero builds from the NHS and across the UK.
“Great Big Green Week marks the perfect moment to reflect on the site’s progress so far, and as we look ahead to its completion, we are excited for the first patients to benefit from its state-of-the-art facilities.
“I hope this project will be a source of great pride to everyone at the Trust and the communities we serve, and its successful completion stands as a testament to all of the hard work and innovation invested to make it a success.”
