Can you balance energy and carbon reduction with improved care?

Reduced costs but improved health and wellbeing

Maintaining high standards of health and wellbeing is essential in care homes but does not have to come at a high cost. Key factors such as good air quality, optimal humidity, lighting and effective temperature control all contribute to a healthier environment for residents and staff and also contribute to the care providers' carbon footprint.

• Air quality: Good air quality helps to reduce illness, improves cognitive function and lowers the risk of falls. Harvard research shows that better ventilation can decrease absenteeism by up to 35%, improve cognitive function by 61%, and boost productivity by 10%. Additionally, maintaining good air quality in care homes can significantly reduce respiratory issues among residents. In response to the concerning levels of indoor pollution, Southwark care homes have installed air purifiers, successfully reducing CO2 levels.
• Energy efficiency: According to the Business Energy UK (BEUK), energy efficiency contributes to a healthier environment by reducing pollutants and maintaining comfortable temperatures. Energy-efficient practices in care homes can lead to substantial cost savings and improved health outcomes for the population.
• Humidity and lighting levels: Optimal humidity and lighting conditions are essential for residents’ and staff comfort and health. Appropriate lighting can reduce falls, improve mood and enhance sleep patterns.
• Temperature control: Effective temperature control is necessary to ensure comfort for both residents and staff, preventing issues such as overheating. Research from the UCL Green Care Homes: Embracing Sustainability for a Healthier Future - Health and Social Care Diploma highlights that maintaining appropriate temperature levels can reduce heat-related illnesses and improve overall wellbeing.
• Internal controls: Internal controls help manage these factors, ensuring a balanced and healthy environment.
• Resident vs staff settings: The differing needs of residents and staff regarding environmental controls should be considered to provide optimal conditions for both groups.

Balancing operational cost, consumption, and carbon reduction

What does good look like?

Achieving cost, consumption, and carbon reduction in care homes involves implementing energy-efficient practices and technologies that reduce operational costs and carbon footprint. According to carehome.co.uk, private residential fees average £1,160 per week, while nursing care costs £1,410 per week. Savings from energy efficiency can be reinvested to improve the care environment, improving air quality, optimising energy use, and supporting overall health and wellbeing.

New build and extensions

Care homes built to high energy efficiency such as PassivHaus standard, achieve significant energy savings. For example:

• A new build extra-care facility in Exeter provides apartments with heating costs as low as £5 per week, compared to care home rooms, where heating costs range from between £40 to £50 per week depending on the services delivered, build type and equipment installed.
• A new 23 build extension, Co. Kildare Ireland, built to PassivHaus standards, maintains constant fresh air intake with controlled air changes, minimising heat loss through a high performing thermal envelope. This has resulted in energy costs 80% lower than the original home.

Retrofits

Upgrading existing care homes to meet energy efficiency standards, such as EnerPHit, can also lead to substantial savings. Key strategies include:

• Energy audits and assessment: Conducting comprehensive audits to identify inefficiencies and recommend targeted improvements.
• Smart building technology: Implementing sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels, using data analytics to optimise energy consumption. For example, Serene Care successfully reduced energy costs by 66% through smart building technology.
• Funding and grants: Identifying and applying for funding and grants available for energy efficiency projects can help offset the initial cost of retrofitting and make projects more financially viable.
• Training and support: Providing the right training for care home staff on how to operate and maintain new energy-efficient systems ensures that the benefit of retrofit is sustained long term.

Findings from the Care England Sector Pulse Report

The Care England Pulse Report 2024 highlights several key challenges and recommendations for the adult social care sector, reinforcing the importance of balancing efficiency with quality care:

• Financial pressures: Two-thirds of care providers have sought internal efficiency savings, and three in ten have closed parts of their organisation or handed back contracts due to financial pressures. This underscores the importance of energy efficiency and cost reduction in maintaining financial viability while ensuring quality care.
• Workforce challenges: The report emphasises the need for a credible, multi-year funding settlement for the adult social care sector and a fully funded roadmap toward parity between care workers and NHS workers. Efficient resource management, including energy savings, can help free up funds to better support the workforce.
• Policy recommendations: To ensure the long-term sustainability, the report recommends committing to a multi-year funding settlement and creating a fully funded plan to support the workforce. Implementing energy-efficient practices can contribute to this sustainability by reducing operational costs and carbon footprint.

Moving forward

Balancing energy efficiency, cost, and carbon reductions with quality care is essential, not only for the sustainability and effectiveness of care homes, but also for improving care outcomes.

The findings from the Care England Pulse Report highlight the financial and operational pressures faced by the sector, reinforcing the need for efficient resource management. By implementing energy-efficient practices, care homes can reduce costs, improve health and wellbeing, and ensure long-term sustainability while delivering high-quality care.

Ready to make a difference? Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve this balance in your care home. Together, we can create a sustainable high-quality future for all:

Read Fiona’s other recent article about adult social care: