Schneider Electric has been selected to provide energy-management and digital-control systems for the NHS National Rehabilitation Centre, a new £105 million facility operated by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust that aims to set a benchmark for low-carbon healthcare.
The 70-bed centre, designed for patients recovering from life-changing illness or injury, is the first building in England to meet the NHS Net Zero Operational Building Standard. It forms part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme and is central to the health service’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2040.
Schneider Electric’s technologies were first tested at Linden Lodge, the Trust’s 25-bed neuro-rehabilitation unit, before being deployed at the purpose-built site. The package includes a connected room system that allows patients to control lighting, temperature, and blinds using a bedside terminal, voice commands, or body movements. The company said the system is intended to give patients greater independence and reduce the time staff spend on non-clinical tasks.
A building data platform will link these room-based devices with the wider estate, while Schneider Electric’s building-management software will oversee heating, cooling, lighting, and security systems. The software can adapt energy use in real time based on occupancy and environmental conditions, which the company said will cut operating costs and improve comfort.
Lisa Yates, Senior Commercial Analyst at the National Rehabilitation Centre, said the long development timeline had allowed the Trust to identify practical challenges and test technologies thoroughly. “Working in close collaboration with Schneider Electric we’ve been able to roll out solutions that are exactly what we hoped for, setting new standards for patient care, efficiency, and sustainability,” she said.
Alice Williams, Schneider Electric’s Vice President of Digital Energy for the UK and Ireland, described the project as a landmark for the NHS. “Delivering the NHS’s first building to meet the Net Zero Operational Building Standard is a testament to what’s possible when innovation, sustainability, and patient care come together,” she said.
The centre is expected to open with fully integrated digital-control systems designed to minimise emissions and operational costs while giving patients more control over their environment.
