Assura completes first net-zero carbon health developments

  • 4th February 2025

A new net zero carbon city centre medical practice has completed in Winchester

Assura plc has announced the completion of two healthcare development projects, which are its first schemes designed to be net zero carbon.

The company, which is the UK’s leading diversified healthcare REIT, has delivered sustainable healthcare schemes in Fareham and Winchester at a combined total development cost of £13.6m.

At Fareham, a refurbishment of an existing high street building into a specialist children and family development centre for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust focused on controlling the internal environment using as little energy as possible.

Significant upgrades were made to the roof, walls, and windows, combined with the installation of an all-electric heat pump system, powered using as much renewable energy as possible from 72 new solar panels installed on the roof.

While, in Winchester, a new-build city centre development for a medical practice serving over 17,000 patients also features an all-electric energy solution as well as maximising solar panels on the roof to minimise the ongoing running costs for the tenant.

Whole-life carbon assessments are now being updated and finalised for each site to reflect the materials used during construction to calculate the final embodied carbon required to be offset.

In line with UK Green Building Council guidelines, actual energy consumption will be monitored at both sites over the first 12 months of operation to compare performance against design assumptions, with appropriate adjustments and offset credits then acquired to ensure operational net zero has been achieved.

Jonathan Murphy, chief executive of Assura plc, said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates delivery against our commitment to produce sustainable healthcare assets that offer a positive social impact to the communities they serve, while helping our healthcare customers to meet their net zero carbon aspirations.

“We have a clear, stated ambition to be net zero carbon by 2040 and the number one listed property business for long-term social impact.

“The completion of our first two developments applying the Assura Net Zero Carbon Design Guide marks further progress.

“Our ESG strategy, The Bigger Picture, sits in the heart of our business and decision making and we will continue to deliver impressive buildings that facilitate the delivery of high-quality healthcare services.

“As the first FTSE 250 B Corp, Assura is continually focused on prioritising the positive impact we have on all our stakeholders.”

Adding to this achievement, the company has also announced that the Northumbria Health and Care Academy in Cramlington, which opened last summer, has become the first healthcare building in the UK to achieve WELL Building Standard Gold Certification.

The academy, let to the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on a 30-year lease, provides training to nurses, midwives and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, radiographers, podiatrists, and occupational therapists.

Northumbria Health and Care Academy in Cramlington, is the first healthcare building in the UK to achieve WELL Building Standard Gold Certification

 

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