Sustainable buildings
Sustainable design, construction and operation of our buildings can:
- reduce energy use and carbon emissions associated with the design and operation of our buildings
- reduce negative impacts on the environment
- improve the health and comfort for building occupants
We have a responsibility and legal requirement to reduce the environmental impact of our buildings. This includes creating staff awareness to help us do this.
HSE Capital and Estates
HSE Capital and Estates ensures our healthcare facilities and buildings are sustainable. This relates to design and operation.
This is achieved by:
- ensuring the development of sustainable facilities and buildings in both design and operation
- upgrading existing buildings to improve energy efficiency and sustainability
- using fuel-efficient technologies and smart energy management systems
- developing innovative ways of improving the energy efficiency and sustainability of healthcare estates
- providing technical support and advice to services
- providing staff energy awareness advice and training to services
Sustainable Infrastructure Office
HSE Capital & Estates Sustainable Infrastructure Office focus is on reducing emissions and improving green spaces from Health Services buildings, through the following programmes:
Estates Energy Bureau and Energy Officers
There are Regional Estates Energy Bureau who have dedicated energy officers working with the Significant Energy User sites to:
- establish energy teams
- create registers of opportunities for energy saving projects
- project manage energy saving capital works such as LED light replacement, heat pump installations, insulation, window replacement , PV panels
- promote energy efficiency
Find out more about the Estates Energy Bureau.
Contact your local Energy Officer
Estates Sustainability Officers
There are Regional Estates Sustainability Officers who work with Large Healthcare sites to:
- Conserve water through training and conservation projects
- Improve Green Spaces to protect and enhance the environment and biodiversity, and promote the Health & wellbeing of Patients, Staff and the local Communities
Contact your local Estates Sustainability Officer:
Dublin South City, Dublin South-East, Dublin South-West, Dublin West, Kildare, Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Longford
Samuel Awe
Email: Samuel.Awe@hse.ie
Dublin North City and County, Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan
Robert Sweeney
Email: Robert.Sweeney1@hse.ie
Galway, Mayo, Roscommon
Dean Flynn
Email: dean.flynn@hse.ie
Clare, Limerick, Tipperary North
Kevin O’Shaughnessy
Email: Kevin.OShaughnessy@hse.ie
Cork, Kerry
Aileen Fitzgerald
Email: Aileen.Fitzgerald3@hse.ie
Carlow, Tipperary South, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford
Email: SE.CapitalEstates@hse.ie
Energy Efficient and Towards Zero Carbon Design
The HSE has implemented an Energy Efficient and Towards Carbon Zero Design approach for all new and replacement buildings as part of the HSE’s Capital Plan.
Energy Efficient Design (PDF, size 1.5 MB, 8 pages) An overview for Design Teams on EED approach for Healthcare Buildings provides guidance for Design Teams.
HSE Capital & Estates are providing EED training, in partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, for:
- HSE Project Managers and Estates staff
- Section 38 and 39 technical services staff
- HSE Design Team Framework Members
Please contact sustainable.infrastructure@hse.ie for more information on upcoming training.
Pathfinder Programme
A significant deep retrofit programme of existing buildings will be required to achieve climate action targets. This includes:
- replacing fossil fuels with renewables
- building fabric upgrades
- electrifying heat and transport
The HSE in partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, through the Pathfinder Programme (www.seai.ie) seeks to:
- develop a decarbonisation pathway for existing HSE facilities
- identify the various challenges that may need to be overcome across the organisation
HSE Infrastructure Decarbonisation Roadmap
In June 2024 the HSE published its Infrastructure Decarbonisation Roadmap (PDF, size 3,425Kb, 42 pages). The Roadmap has been developed by HSE Capital & Estates incorporates all updated targets and requirements contained in the third annual update to Ireland’s Climate Action Plan (Climate Action Plan 2024 - CAP24)
The targets for the Public Sector are:
- a 51% absolute reduction in energy related Green House Gas emissions
- a 50% energy efficiency improvement by 2030
- to achieve net zero no later than 2050
The Roadmap outlines the work undertaken by the HSE to date and our approach to continuing to reduce carbon emissions from our buildings and their operation.