North East Ambulance Service achieves GOLD Standard for Sustainability

North East Ambulance Service is celebrating, having been recognised for achieving a GOLD Standard for Sustainability.

The CarbonSAVER, WasteSAVER and WaterSAVER standards are only awarded to organisations that can demonstrate a reduction in Carbon, Waste and Water over a three year period. Organisations are evaluated against 10 areas including policy, people, training, targets, data management, investments to see if they demonstrate the ability to measure, manage and minimise consumption. 

The CarbonSAVER Standards are approved by the Environment Agency and based on the internationally recognised GHG Protocol.

NEAS has now been accredited GOLD for Carbon Saving, Waste Saving Gold and Water Saving.

Clare Swift, NEAS Sustainability Manager, said: “This is excellent news for the Trust as we have not only reduced our impact of our fleet and estate on the environment but also created financial efficiencies.

“As an accredited WasteSAVER, CarbonSAVER and WaterSAVER not only is NEAS saving money on energy, waste and water bills, but all stakeholders, partners and staff can have confidence that NEAS is taking its environmental responsibilities seriously and making positive steps to be a more sustainable organisation.”

Over the last couple of year, the NHS Foundation Trust has made significant progress on its sustainability, having:

• Increased the Trust’s recycling rate from around 35% in Jan 2015 to 95% (as of August 2016)
• Invested in renewable energy projects, including solar PV which saved procurement of around £50,000 worth of electricity per year, generating around the same in feed in tariff income.
• Implemented renewable heating in 2 properties – air source heat pumps at Hexham and Peterlee, which has eliminated the requirement for gas at both properties. A third is due to be introduced.
• Fitted almost all sites with high efficiency LED lighting
• Submitted planning applications for wind turbines at three of its properties – Pallion, Coulby and Carlin How.
• Sourced funding from the Office of Low Emission to replace diesel pool cars with electric vehicles.
• Begun trialling alternative fuels in other areas of its fleet – Rapid Response Vehicles and vans
• Created savings using telematics technology in vehicles.
• Sub metered its water and installed water saving devices in toilets and urinals

Glenn Wilkinson, Managing Director at CarbonSAVER, said: “During the last few months a team of assessors have been scrutinising the ambulance services environmental performance. This included reviewing their achievements over a three year period in reducing: waste, carbon emissions and water consumption.

“Two things really stood out.  Firstly, the excellent work upgrading buildings and stations with clean sustainable technologies like Solar Panels and LED lighting and, secondly, the enthusiasm of the team for sustainability. From the director, to the team members responsible, everybody was enthusiastic to make a difference. We are delighted to award them the top GOLD standard on their first assessment."