Agenda item

This report provides the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee with an update on the work of Leeds Anchor Network climate sub-group.

The report provided the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee with an update on the work of Leeds Anchor Network climate sub-group

Andrew White, Senior Project Manager, Climate Energy and Green Spaces (CEGS), introduced the item noting that the profile of the Anchor network was recently updated and employed over 55,000 individuals, had spend approximately £720million in the Leeds economy and since beginning to measure CO₂ emissions in 2018, had reduced CO₂ output by over 21,000 tonnes. As part of the network a Climate Sub-group was held, including involvement from CEGS and Employment and Skills to develop further green jobs and relevant skills, inclusive growth and net zero initiatives.

Chris Kelly, Associate Director, Estates Compliance & Risk Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), provided the following information:

·  In 2020 the NHS had committed to an ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040 in terms of scope 1 and 2 emissions that were in direct control of the NHS, and then for scope 3 emissions to be carbon neutral by 2045.

·  One of the seven commitments for 2024/2025 for LTHT was sustainability, which displayed LTHT’s commitment at a leadership level to make much greater considerations to carbon savings, given that the NHS accounted for approximately 5% of the UK’s carbon emissions.

·  Carbon impacts within the NHS had been monitored since 2013/2014 and by the end of the 2023/2024 municipal year had reduced its carbon footprint by 37% against data from 10 years prior.

·  The strategy to become carbon neutral was to be a staged process across the multiple hospital sites in Leeds, with various needs and outputs. The design for the new hospital planned to be built at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) was outlined to be a flagship model, with significant progress in terms of improved efficiency and was expected to operate on net zero carbon.

·  Other LGI buildings were noted to be heavily reliant on gas and on site power production, with funding, capital and thorough planning required to utilise alternative, sustainable energy sources.

·  The Lean 2 Green programme, based on the Leeds improvement method, sought to engage with 22,000 NHS staff members within Leeds, which empowered staff, allowed them to set an example and involved clinical leadership. Initial data showed significant financial and carbon savings and was a blueprint for success.

·  The LTHT Green Plan was set for its fourth iteration by April 2025 and was an umbrella document for a sustainable action plan, including travel plans, a decarbonisation strategy and climate adaptations. Success was tracked in order to provide accountability.

Lorraine Williams-Jones. Sustainability Communications and Engagement Officer, University of Leeds, outlined the following information:

·  The role at the University of Leeds covered strategy and engagement for the net zero programme and the Leeds Climate Plan, which had been approved in 2021 and devised 7 principles for change and engaged with relevant partners.

·  The pathway for delivering net zero utilised data on scopes 1,2 and 3, with baseline data outlining that the University’s carbon output was 168,049 tonnes per annum. The aim was to be net zero by 2030, which included scope 1 and 2 emissions and business travel. Measuring and addressing scope 3 emissions posed difficulties but efforts were made to reduce output which were incorporated where possible, with further planning required.

·  A pragmatic approach was needed for interventions to reduce carbon reliance with large assets such as the Generating Station Complex, with continual reviews held to bring forward emission savings.

·  The scope for delivering net zero was a 90% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions, reduction of business travel emissions by 50%, accurate measurement of supply chain emissions to attach reduction targets to and to build on resilience and adaptation plans by 2030, including offsetting models, which were to be based on academic principles. The Leeds Living Lab supported the University's commitment to embed sustainability through engagement, collaboration and innovation, with knowledge shared with other institutions.

·  The journey towards a net zero estate was outlined as commitment to the approach in 2019, publication of the Leeds Climate Plan in 2021, feasibility studies, agreement of the Net Zero Delivery Plan in 2023 and moving to the delivery phase in 2024 and beyond.

·  The approach was to decarbonise heating, reduce overall energy reliance and to balance electricity use with renewable energy, whilst considering delivery at scale, the complex nature of the estate, the fixed budget position and rising forecasted costs.

·  Feasibility study included surveys and tests of target buildings to develop an approach to make University buildings as efficient as possible. 21 buildings had been identified, where models and scenarios had been tested.

·  Costs to make changes to and retrofit buildings varied and a hierarchy of intervention model had been developed to balance costs against effective decarbonisation and the disruption works would cause.

·  An interactive map had been produced to highlight and condense the delivery plan, including projects for electricity capacity, drainage, renewable energy, with varied timeframes and monitoring framework in place to inform the knowledge base.

·  Important work was highlighted as geothermic test drilling, with results shared with partners, sustainably electrifying the Brownlee Centre and Gair Wood tree planning, as a research woodland.

·  Lessons learnt since the 2019 commitment were balancing short and long term changes, utilising regional and national changes, the need for flexibility and an openness to change, planning for adequate resource requirements and investing in communications and engagement to demonstrate work and research.

During discussions the Committee discussed the following:

LTHT

• Ways for medical equipment, such as medication and dressing, to be more sustainable, as it was largely non-reusable, were queried. In response it was noted that clinical leadership required more engagement with the sustainability programme and processes for reusing medication blister packs and recirculating unused medication was under consideration with a £1million saving per annum projected.
• Take up of the Lean 2 Green programme by staff was queried. In response it was outlined there had been enthusiasm and a carbon literacy silver level accreditation was available to further staff understanding and to implement behaviour changes, as well as the appointment of sustainability champions to share and encourage best practise. The need to be realistic was also noted, given the significant number of staff under workload pressures.
• Some plans to retrofit aspects of existing hospital building were planned where possible, including connections to Leeds PIPES, however, the different ages of different buildings created complications, but the new hospital was to contribute to large carbon savings. £22million had been secured through the public sector decarbonisation scheme, which was to be directed towards St. James Hospital buildings and the final decision for the new LGI building was expected in January 2025.
• Heating and powering hospital buildings was currently via electricity generated by the Generating Station Complex, which converted gas into electricity, which had a significant carbon cost but there were benefits to self sufficient power generation. Methods were needed to decarbonise power generation, such as hydrogen and importing green electricity from the grid; balancing financial and decarbonisation value was a consideration.
• Solar PV had been installed at Chapel Allerton Hospital and Wharfedale Hospital, which had approximately halved power consumption from the grid. Utilising this at other sites was limited due to fault limiting and investment constraints.
• To reduce single plastic use at hospitals, work was ongoing to seek alternative materials and recycling opportunities, as part of the procurement process.
• Collaboration and alignment with public institutions was required to achieve carbon neutrality, including consideration of changes to shared assets, such as the Generating Station Complex with the NHS and University of Leeds, alongside their alternative net zero plans. The Leeds Anchor Networks meetings were a good arena for discussing plans and joining up work.

University of Leeds

• How inhouse research at the University was shared and actioned was explained as, the Priestley Centre delivering climate change research, Geosolutions Leeds informing the decarbonisation methods, research and practise at the Living Lab and geothermic test drilling adding to the knowledge bank, which was shared with other institutions and organisations.
• Partnership working was integral to inform city wide opportunities and connecting infrastructure. Some funding for the geothermic test drilling had been provided by Ofgem innovation challenge project, with further partnership planning needed for its roll out.
• Expertise was shared generally on the principle of wider societal benefits, but there were potentially some commercial benefits noted, which were to be determined by leadership, but parentship working was the priority.
• It was confirmed that Gair Wood was part of the University estate and was proposed to be opened to the public once trees had matured. It was a useful site for woodland and bio-diversity research. How this site could be linked to the Council’s Planning and CEGS Departments, in terms of emerging bio-diversity net gain policies was to be followed up, with information agreed to be shared back to Members.
• How information, particularly the ‘what we have learnt’ piece, was shared across the Anchor institutions was queried, in response it was outlined that discussions had been held as part of the Anchor’s Sub-group meeting. Members suggestions for better integration models across the city were welcomed.
• Identifying common ground as net zero plans developed was essential for a joined up approach, with the Committee’s comments to be shared at a future Anchor’s Climate Sub-Group meeting.

RESOLVED – That the updates from the NHS Trust and University of Leeds, as well as the longer-term ambitions for the Leeds Anchor Network, and for the city, along with Members comments, be noted.