Heat pumps installed at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre

Work has been completed to install air source heat pumps at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre (CICC), as part of Hywel Dda University Health Board’s (UHB) ongoing commitment to decarbonise its buildings.

The £325,000 initiative was funded by the Welsh Government, based on the recommendations of a feasibility study by Welsh Government Energy Service  on low carbon heat solutions for Cardigan ICC. Support was provided to the health board to appraise low carbon heat options and how to integrate a solution into the plant room to service lower temperature heat loads. The recommended solution was the 70kW air source heat pump and upgrade of air handling unit heater batteries to lower temperature rated units.

The heat pumps absorb heat from the air at a low temperature and uses it to heat a special refrigerant liquid. As it warms up, the liquid turns into gas. The gas then passes through a compressor, to increase the temperature and provide heat for the building. When the gas cools down, it becomes liquid again and gets re-used at the start of the cycle.

The heat pumps will lower the building’s carbon emissions by 30% and offset natural gas boilers currently serving heat to the building.

Paul Williams, Head of Property Performance at Hywel Dda UHB, said: “The Health Board has always been committed towards implementing low carbon, energy efficient solutions at its sites. The installation of these low carbon heat pumps at Cardigan Integrated Care Centre is yet another milestone in our journey towards Welsh Government’s ambition for the Public Sector to lead the way and be net zero by 2030.”

Dave Powlesland, Senior Manager from Welsh Government Energy Service, added: “The transition away from fossil fuels to low carbon renewable heat generation is one of the most difficult challenges facing the Public Sector on the route to net zero by 2030. Hywel Dda UHB has demonstrated how a heat pump retrofit can be achieved on a complex healthcare site – this project will help lead the way for a low carbon heat transformation across Wales.”

In 2019, the Welsh Government declared a Climate Emergency. It has a long-term target to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, and an ambition for Public Sector to lead the way and be net zero by 2030 . The health board currently developing several initiatives to further contribute to this and reduce our impact on the environment.