Prime Minister praises UHSM's green agenda
"This is a huge accolade, but we are not sentimental about being energy efficient. Now more than ever its all about reducing carbon emissions and saving money on our fuel bills. Last year we reduced carbon dioxide by 3,459 tonnes - that's the equivalent to the output of 500 homes. Meanwhile, energy consumption is down 26 per cent which means savings of £120,000, and we are on target to achieve that again this year"
Julian Hartley
UHSM Chief Executive
The Prime Minister has acknowledged our important contribution towards sustainability in the UK's first Climate Week Awards. David Cameron, in a live video address to the ceremony in London's St James's Palace, praised UHSM for its "innovation and ambition" and for leading the way as Britain's Greenest Hospital.
He told the audience of more than 200 leading politicians, advisers, authors and celebrities that the Awards offered powerful illustrations of what can be achieved to make Britain a low-carbon society. And organisations like ours, he said "showed the very best leadership" which will inspire more people and organisations to take crucial steps to tackle climate change.
A distinguished panel of judges including the co-founder of the Eden Project, the former President of Ireland and the Chief Scientist at the Met Office chose UHSM from dozens of other organisations from across the country. We were shortlisted along with the London Fire Brigade, The Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force for our work in cutting carbon emissions. But in presenting the Award, Tesco Director, Ruth Girardet said it was our staff initiatives - the cycle to work and car share schemes, open air markets and staff allotment - coupled with our biomass boilers and ground source heat pump that had clinched the title for us.
You can watch a case study by Energyshare of our green credentials below.