The primary focus of the framework, released last year, is to set a path to achieving net-zero carbon buildings in both construction and operation (in-use energy consumption), as well as providing direction for addressing whole-life carbon in the industry.

The freely available resource is aimed at building developers, designers, owners, occupiers and policymakers to inform the development of building tools, policies and practices.

Debating issues on innovation in hospital design at the House of Commons’ Westminster Hall yesterday (4 February), Minister for Care Caroline Dinenage said the design of the healthcare estate has a huge part to play in achieving net-zero carbon targets, and carbon-efficiency measures can have a positive effect on both patients and staff. 

She highlighted that fitting energy-efficient LED lighting ​in every hospital would generate average energy cost savings of up to £33 million, and that adopting renewable energy solutions in the design of clinical facilities would contribute to cleaner air for communities and better health outcomes.

She also said the Department wants to see environmentally conscious design, and she pointed to the NHS’ new-for-old programme, which improves delivery of local community-based infrastructure. 

“The new-for-old programme is adopting a variety of sustainability measures, including something called BREEAM, which stands for the Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method,” she explained. “It will be incorporated as standard, as independent third-party verification of sustainability performance in infrastructure.”

Tory MP for Basingstoke Maria Miller, who tabled the debate, stressed the importance of building not only for now but for the future, adding that NHS guidance on how to design new hospitals has been described as “out of date” by Architects for Health*.

She said: “Based on the past 40 years of experience, we know the next generation of hospitals must be flexible in their design, not only to accommodate change but to be built with change in mind and not as an afterthought. I’m sure that some elements can be standardised but the overall design must be flexible. Some new hospitals are built with the intention that they may have an entirely different use in the future.

“We need to ensure these hospitals have that flexibility, to scale up, change, scale back, and even change use entirely.”

She went on to ask the minister what scope there was for the HIP to be accelerated. 

In response, Ms Dinenage referenced the importance of innovation, repeatable room design and standardised components in helping bring about such flexibility. 

“That means that the NHS can adapt to future advances in delivering modern patient care, and it delivers time, cost and efficiency benefits,” she explained. “For example, the Wrightington Hospital orthopaedic centre uses repeatable rooms, and that’s already delivering benefits to patients and staff, but it also means that the rooms can be changed in future as modern innovation delivers changes.”

Agreeing with Ms Miller about the importance of ensuring that the designs of new hospitals are delivered fast, the minister added: “The buildings must be easily accessible, sustainable and integrated with the local planning infrastructure, and scheme proposals and business cases developed in partnership and in alignment with sustainability and transformation plans, integrated care systems, and clinical and estate strategies. They need written commissioner support, alongside evidence of engagement with local stakeholders and their support for the plans. We hope that will speed up delivery of the buildings.”

With concerns about the ageing population and prevalence of multimorbidity requiring a fresh approach to healthcare delivery, Ms Dinenage said the Government’s ambition for a new cycle of hospital infrastructure investment chimed with academic research by the University of Sheffield, which shows that patients make significantly better progress in new, purpose-built and designed buildings than in old ones. 

“There are a range of impacts,” she said, “including reductions in pain medication needs and shortening hospital stays. In the mental health sector, treatment times were reduced by 14 per cent, and in the general medical sector, non-operative patient treatment times were reduced by a staggering 21 per cent. That’s the prize here.​”

She also pointed to the growing body of evidence that access to and visibility of green space are vital to promoting therapeutic and healing environments, with positive health outcomes including reductions in stress and anxiety, increased social interaction, and an improved healthcare experience.

* Architects for Health is co-organiser, along with SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange, of the annual European Healthcare Design Congress – www.europeanhealthcaredesign.eu – which will be held this year on 8-10 June at the Royal College of Physicians, London. The congress’ main theme this year is ‘At the Tipping Point: Designing for Population and Planetary Health’.