Sustainability in the approvals process
Healthcare building projects require approval from both internal and external bodies. Examples of internal approvals necessary for certain types of healthcare projects include Strategic Outline Case (SOC) and Outline Business Case (OBC). These may well include some sustainability requirements, such as the Department's energy target or a specific BREEAM rating.
Particular external approvals also apply to construction projects: both planning consent and building regulations approvals must be obtained from the relevant local authority.
This module describes what Trusts and their advisors need to do in relation to sustainability at each stage in developing a project proposal to make sure they are approved. Chapter 2 describes planning, building control and design reviews, which are the same for all types of healthcare development. Chapter 3 looks at the approvals needed from the Department of Health, the NHS and the Strategic Health Authority. These are slightly different according to the funding route, so the guidance is split into PFI (Private Finance Initiative), ProCure 21 and LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust).