SECR Reporting for Healthcare Providers
Healthcare facilities are among the most energy-intensive building types due to 24/7 operation, strict environmental controls, and high equipment loads. Gas for heating and hot water typically accounts for 40-50% of emissions, with electricity for medical equipment and ventilation making up the rest.
SECR Requirements for Healthcare
Private hospitals, care home groups, and healthcare providers meeting 2 of 3 qualifying criteria. Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) requires qualifying companies to disclose their UK energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency measures in their annual accounts.
Understanding your specific obligations as a healthcare business is crucial for compliance. This guide covers the emission sources, intensity ratios, and efficiency measures most relevant to your sector.
Scope 1 Emissions in Healthcare
Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from sources your company owns or controls. For healthcare companies, these typically include:
- Natural gas for heating and hot water
- Refrigerant leaks from medical cooling
- Emergency generators (often diesel)
- Company ambulances and transport
- Medical gas systems
These emissions are calculated by multiplying your fuel consumption by the UK Government conversion factors. You'll need to collect data from utility bills, fuel cards, and maintenance records.
→ How to calculate Scope 1 emissionsScope 2 Emissions in Healthcare
Scope 2 emissions come from purchased electricity, heat, steam, and cooling. SECR requires you to use the location-based method (UK grid average), though you may also disclose market-based figures if you purchase green energy.
- Electricity for medical equipment
- Lighting and HVAC (24/7 operation)
- Laboratory equipment
- Laundry and sterilisation
- IT and patient monitoring systems
Collect electricity consumption data from your bills or smart meters. For most healthcare operations, electricity represents a significant portion of total emissions.
→ How to calculate Scope 2 emissionsIntensity Ratios for Healthcare
SECR requires at least one intensity ratio—a metric that normalises your emissions against business activity. This helps stakeholders understand whether emission changes reflect business growth or efficiency improvements.
For healthcare companies, common intensity ratios include:
Choose a ratio that best reflects your business model. For example, if you're a high-volume, low-margin operation, "per tonne of product" might be more meaningful than "per £m revenue."
→ How to choose the right intensity ratioEnergy Efficiency Actions
SECR requires a narrative describing energy efficiency measures taken during the reporting period. Simply stating "no measures taken" is non-compliant if opportunities existed.
Typical efficiency measures for healthcare include:
Combined heat and power (CHP) systems
Heat recovery from ventilation
LED lighting with occupancy controls
High-efficiency medical chillers
Building insulation upgrades
Common Healthcare SECR Challenges
- Critical 24/7 operations limit efficiency options
- Strict temperature and air quality requirements
- Legacy medical equipment energy consumption
- Multiple sites with varying ages
These challenges are common across the healthcare sector. Addressing them early in your reporting process will save time and improve accuracy. Consider engaging specialists if your operations are particularly complex.
Other Regulations to Consider
Healthcare companies may also need to comply with additional energy and carbon regulations:
Understanding how these frameworks interact helps streamline compliance and avoid duplication of effort.
Ready to File Your SECR Report?
While SECR Compliance Hub provides free guidance, generating your actual SECR report requires precise calculations and formatting. ComplyCarbon creates audit-ready reports in minutes, not weeks.