Decarbonising the NHS Estate: Why Energy Management Systems (EMS) are no longer a nice-to-have

With the next wave of NHS Green Plans due in July 2025, healthcare leaders are under growing pressure to deliver measurable carbon reductions. Kevin Gilhooly, Interim Healthcare Solutions Lead at MRI Software, explains why smart energy management is no longer a back-office function but a critical driver of sustainable, compliant, and high-performing estates.

Turning climate targets into actionable strategy

The NHS is targeting net zero emissions by 2040, with updated Green Plans due from all Trusts and Integrated Care Boards by July 2025. For estates and procurement leaders, the challenge now is execution and being able to translate policy into visible, trackable action.

To meet these ambitious targets, organisations must move quickly. Access to Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) funding provides a unique opportunity, but only for those equipped to deploy smart infrastructure and report on impact. At the heart of this lies energy data: knowing exactly where energy is being used, wasted, and saved.

Decarbonisation begins with data

In a sector with aging infrastructure and increasing operational demands, traditional energy reporting methods are no longer fit for purpose. Many Trusts still rely on spreadsheets or fragmented systems, leading to gaps in data and missed opportunities.

Energy consumption in hospitals is complex varying significantly across sites, departments, and time of day. Without granular insight, it’s difficult to prioritise investment or prove returns. That’s where smart energy platforms come in: enabling estates teams to track usage in real time, spot inefficiencies early, and model future savings.

How one NHS Trust turned energy data into strategic value

One NHS Trust recently overhauled its approach to energy management. Facing increasing board scrutiny and looming Green Plan deadlines, the organisation struggled with manual reporting, poor data quality, and limited forecasting capabilities.

By implementing a centralised energy management platform, the Trust consolidated data from meters, bills, and historic records into one system. Automated alerts highlighted anomalies, such as unexpected consumption spikes, allowing rapid response to faults or inefficiencies. Forecasting tools enabled scenario modelling against NHS net zero milestones, helping the team build phased investment plans. In addition, estimated savings in excess of £100k were identified which the Trust is expected to receive over the coming years.

Crucially, dashboards and tailored KPIs empowered leadership to track progress, support procurement decisions, and justify further decarbonisation spend.

Looking beyond efficiency and compliance

The Trust’s experience reflects a broader trend: energy platforms are no longer just for efficiency, they are essential to compliance, business case development, and infrastructure planning. Accurate reporting ensures adherence to regulatory targets, while visibility across the estate helps identify priority assets for retrofit or upgrade.

The system also supported forward-looking planning. With emissions forecasts and cost-saving scenarios, the Trust could assess the ROI of potential projects which is critical when bidding for PSDS funding or negotiating contracts with suppliers.

Linking energy insight to clinical performance

While energy management often sits within estates, its impact on clinical care should not be underestimated. Inconsistent environmental conditions, such as temperature or air quality, can directly affect patient safety and recovery, especially in critical areas.

Smart platforms integrated with IoT sensors allow for real-time monitoring of key zones, ensuring compliance with clinical standards. Alerts for out-of-range fridges, overheating wards, or failing HVAC systems help prevent disruptions and avoidable costs. These systems also contribute to regulatory readiness, aligning with Care Quality Commission (CQC) expectations for safe and effective environments.

Building the business case for smarter, intelligent infrastructure

As capital investment flows into healthcare estates, energy platforms offer decision-makers the data backbone needed for intelligent infrastructure. Rather than reactive maintenance, Trusts can implement predictive strategies linked to asset performance. CAFM integration ties energy usage to equipment lifespan, enabling more strategic procurement and maintenance planning.

IoT-enabled platforms also capture environmental metrics, like humidity, lighting, or occupancy which can trigger automated adjustments to reduce unnecessary consumption without impacting comfort or care.

This level of intelligence transforms NHS estates from passive buildings into responsive systems that optimise themselves in real time.

Enabling system-wide visibility

With the move toward Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), joined-up data across estates is becoming essential. A system-wide view of energy performance – whether it’s by individual site, Trust, or region – can provide valuable insight for strategic planning and investment.

This broader visibility opens the door to smarter procurement, such as shared contracts or funding applications, as well as regional benchmarking. ICSs can identify high-performing sites, replicate successful strategies, and present unified business cases for decarbonisation grants.

Leadership through insight

With Green Plans due imminently, NHS leaders must act decisively. Those receiving PSDS support must show measurable progress; others should use this window to build a compelling case for future funding.

Success will depend on timely, reliable, and actionable energy data. Trusts that embed smart energy systems now will be best placed to reduce emissions, secure investment, save money and future-proof their infrastructure.

MRI Software supports NHS organisations at every stage of this journey. Our teams work alongside clients to design and implement robust energy management strategies tailored to healthcare environments. We assist with data collection and validation, helping ensure that information is accurate, complete, and ready for analysis.

Our consultants also build dashboards and KPIs aligned with NHS Net Zero commitments and Green Plan requirements, giving leadership teams the tools they need to report confidently and make data-informed decisions. And because internal capability is critical for long-term success, we offer hands-on training to upskill estates and sustainability teams, enabling them to get the most from their systems.

In a sector where every kilowatt saved supports wider goals, data-driven energy management is a key part of delivering modern, sustainable healthcare. Our long-standing experience in the healthcare sector means we understand the unique pressures NHS estates teams face, from managing risk and compliance to safeguarding clinical environments. We also recognise the vital connection between energy performance, patient safety, and operational resilience.

Decarbonising the NHS estate is one of the most ambitious challenges in public sector infrastructure. But it’s also one of the most rewarding. With the right digital tools, NHS organisations can take control of their energy data, reduce emissions, and build estates which are able to deliver a high standard of care as sustainably as possible.