Designing pathway projects for the future of decarbonisation in Healthcare

undertake detailed environmental modelling, options appraisal and technical design development to define a phased, technically robust decarbonisation strategy for Clonakilty Community Hospital (CCH). A calibrated dynamic simulation model, validated against 2016–2018 utility data, was developed to establish a defensible carbon and energy baseline which is predicted to achieve a 50% improvement in energy efficiency, a 50% reduction in carbon emissions, attainment of a B2 BER, and a defined pathway to net zero in line with CAP2030 and CAP2050.

Delivery within a live healthcare environment posed many challenges and required careful sequencing and resilience planning. The decided strategy included the preservation of the centralised heating architecture to enable future upgrades at source, incorporation of N+1 redundancy for resilience, and utilisation of phased plantroom extension and integration works to maintain uninterrupted heat supply.

IN2 adopted a fabric-first assessment approach, evaluating wall, roof and glazing upgrades to determine cost-optimal carbon reduction. The combined fabric upgrades were predicted to deliver a 21% reduction in carbon emissions relative to the 2016–2018 baseline, increasing to approximately 57% by 2030 when aligned with projected grid decarbonisation, ensuring demand reduction preceded plant electrification.

The decarbonisation strategy also proposed a comprehensive mechanical and electrical transformation. This entailed replacing the existing oil and LPG-fired boiler plant with a bivalent high-temperature air source heat pump system operating at 80/70 °C. Heat is distributed via a centralised site-wide network serving local packaged plate heat exchangers, providing system separation and enabling much of the existing downstream heating infrastructure to be retained. This approach supports a cost- and energy-optimised solution while minimising disruption within a live hospital environment where continuity of service is critical.

When combined with LED lighting upgrades, integration of the existing photovoltaic installation, and projected grid decarbonisation, the modelling indicates the overall strategy will achieve an approximately 86% reduction in carbon emissions and an 85% reduction in primary energy use by 2030, reducing annual emissions from roughly 470 tCO₂ to 60 tCO₂ and establishing a defined pathway to carbon neutrality before the early 2040s.

In designing this ambitious Pathfinder project for CCH, this project demonstrates IN2’s expertise in large-scale healthcare decarbonisation. CCH now stands as a demonstrator site, evidencing how community healthcare facilities can transition from fossil fuel dependency to a low-carbon, future-ready energy infrastructure with measurable, modelled outcomes.