Chester makes history: Countess of Chester Hospital opens first NHS net-zero building in England

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has announced a major national milestone in sustainable healthcare. Its new Women and Children’s Building – located at the Countess of Chester Hospital site, which delivers maternity, neonatal, paediatric, and women’s outpatient care, is the first completed NHS facility in England to be verified as compliant with the NHS Net Zero Building Standard, introduced by NHS England in 2023.

Following a rigorous review of the Trust’s submission, NHS England formally confirmed the building’s compliance in September 2025. While other NHS projects are still underway, this is the first to be completed and verified – setting a precedent for future developments across the country.

Adam Hope, Director of Estates & Facilities at the Countess of Chester Hospital, said: “This is a proud moment for our hospital, our community, and the wider NHS. We’ve created a space that’s clinically outstanding, welcoming, and environmentally responsible. It shows what’s possible when sustainability is embedded from the very beginning.”

To meet NHS Net Zero Building Standard, the Women and Children’s Building includes:

• Highly insulated walls, windows and roof to maintain constant indoor temperatures year-round, reducing the need for heating and cooling
• Solar panels that generate clean electricity on-site
• Smart lighting and ventilation systems that adjust automatically based on occupancy
• Eco-friendly building materials, responsibly sourced for minimal environmental impact
• A digital control system that tracks energy use and carbon emissions in real time.

The building is fully electric, using no gas, and is designed to become even greener as the UK’s energy grid decarbonises. It also meets BREEAM Excellent standards – a leading sustainability assessment method for buildings – placing it among the top 10% most energy-efficient buildings in the UK.

The project also introduced a pioneering new role – the Net Zero Carbon Coordinator – to oversee energy and carbon decisions throughout the design and construction process. This role is now being seen as a model for future NHS building projects.

From the earliest planning stages, feedback from staff, patients, and the local community helped shape a space that puts people first. The building’s design reflects a commitment to patient experience, accessibility, and wellbeing.

Key features include:

• Natural light-filled wards and clinics to reduce stress and promote recovery
• A tree-lined exterior that ensures privacy from every window
• Wide corridors and automatic doors for ease of movement
• Lift access to all floors, baby changing facilities, and family-friendly toilets
• Baby feeding rooms on every floor
• A Changing Places facility for people with complex disabilities
• Hearing loop systems at reception desks.

Additional features include:

• Landscaped courtyards and play areas, including one co-designed with local schoolchildren
• Dedicated play areas for siblings, sensory and teen rooms, and pull-out beds in every room for a parent, partner or carer to stay by a patient’s bedside
• A neonatal garden and Lavender Suite for families processing loss or for fresh air and reflection
• A therapeutic garden installation, designed to offer a tranquil space for reflection and wellbeing
• Improved waiting areas and a grab-and-go café.

Jane Tomkinson OBE, Chief Executive of the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, added: “This building sets a new benchmark for what modern healthcare should look like; compassionate, inclusive, and future-focused. As an anchor institution in Chester, we recognise our responsibility to lead by example, not just in care but in sustainability. Our commitment to net zero is about more than reducing carbon emissions, it is about lowering energy costs, supporting our local community, and improving the environment for the babies being born here today and for generations to come. We are proud to be leading the way, right here in Chester.”

Simon Corben, Director and Head of Profession for NHS Estates and Facilities at NHS England, added: “Congratulations Countess of Chester Hospital. It’s fantastic to see this landmark achievement. We published the NHS Net Zero Building Standard back in 2023 to support the NHS and our partners to design and build healthcare facilities that limit harmful emissions, improve energy efficiency and resilience, and support better healthcare environments for patients and staff. Since then, an enormous amount of work has gone into achieving the standard. It is fantastic to see this finally coming into fruition through our Procure 23 framework, with the first of many to achieve the NZ building standard.”

Built over nearly three years, the Women and Children’s Building was delivered using an innovative zone-by-zone construction method – completing sections in sequence to speed up progress, like a domino effect. This approach, developed to maximise value from the £110 million allocated through the Government’s Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) programme, accelerates delivery without compromising quality.

The Women and Children’s Building officially opened on 8 September 2025 and stands as a symbol of what’s possible when innovation, care, and climate action come together. With 66 beds, most of them single rooms with ensuite facilities, alongside a small number of shared four-bed spaces for those who prefer a more communal setting, the building delivers some of the Trust’s most vital services. It is now home to over 500 staff, making it one of the busiest and most impactful hubs within the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The project was built by construction partners IHP, a joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, who were supported by Ecospheric, a sustainability consultancy, to lead on net zero compliance and data-driven decision-making.