Mitsubishi Electric Sustainable Heating & Cooling in Hospice
East Cheshire Hospice aims to embed sustainability into its operations and wider community impact, considering the wider implications of its actions.
This involves efforts to minimise waste, cut energy usage and reduce its carbon footprint while ensuring patient care is not adversely affected.
Mitsubishi Electric is providing energy-efficient heating and cooling to East Cheshire Hospice, which contributes to the charity’s goals as well as patient comfort.
Partnering for patient comfort and sustainability
East Cheshire Hospice relies on donations for almost 80% of its funding, meaning that it must balance its operational costs with compassionate care.
It is working to reduce its energy use and improve the sustainability of its estate.
Michelle Walker-Brown, Head of Facilities and Hospitality at East Cheshire Hospice, says: “When we were looking at the options, we were offered the MSZ-RZ units, which offer heating and cooling and fit our need for sustainability.
“At the same time, the hospice is reliant on charitable donations, so managing energy costs is something we monitor very closely, and these air conditioning units have automatic features to help us avoid waste.
“We pride ourselves on delivering compassionate care in a warm and welcoming place where everyone is treated with dignity, kindness and respect.”
Sustainable air conditioning tech
Mitsubishi Electric has provided six of its MSZ-RZ wall-mounted air conditioning units, which have been installed at the hospice.
This is part of a wider extension and refurbishment project, where the hospice is reviewing its heating and cooling across its estate.
The systems provide heating and cooling to help maintain a comfortable environment for patients, families and staff throughout the year.
Each unit has advanced 3D i-See sensors that allow for monitoring of room occupancy and optimising temperature distribution and airflow.
The i-See sensors can shut the system down when a room is unoccupied, which helps minimise running costs and avoid waste.
The air conditioning units also use Mitsubishi Electric’s Plasma Quad Plus filtration technology which is designed to remove bacteria, allergens and PM2.5 particulates, as well as neutralising viruses.
This helps to maintain a clean and healthy indoor environment for patients at East Cheshire Hospice.
Brett Hewitt, Director of Hewitt’s Refrigeration, the company that installed the units, says: “I’ve been fully supported with Mitsubishi Electric training as these new units use R290 refrigerant, which is still quite new to the industry.
“We managed to install everything in a few days and worked around vacant rooms and the hospice’s guests so we could keep disruption to an absolute minimum.”
About East Cheshire Hospice’s sustainability
East Cheshire Hospice is committed to achieving net zero by 2032.
It aims to inspire other organisations in the local health and social care system to become more environmentally sustainable and create higher standards of public health and environmental protection.
The hospice operates five retail outlets that raise funds for the charity while saving unwanted items from landfill.
At the hospice, staff aim to reduce food waste through smart ordering and menus.
Its used vegetable oil is collected and recycled to make biodiesel.
East Cheshire Hospice also recycles used batteries, light bulbs, ink cartridges and IT hardware.
Its used tea bags and ground fresh coffee beans are recycled for the hospice’s rose trees and shrubbery.
The hospice is a member of Hospice UK’s Environmental Sustainability for Hospices Group, where it keeps in contact with other hospices to share best practices and information about sustainability initiatives.
