THE CONTROVERSIAL hospital heating pipeline project in Headington has won a 'prestigious' award.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was awarded Sustainability Project of the Year by the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management (IHEEM)'s at a ceremony in Manchester this month.

The 2.2km heat-sharing pipeline between the John Radcliffe Hospital and Churchill Hospital is saving the trust £460,000 a year on energy bills and cutting 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

However the eight-month construction had riled residents in the area.

Collecting the award on behalf of OUH, head of operational estates Claire Hennessy said: "I am very honoured to accept this award from IHEEM on behalf of colleagues from the trust, the CEF, Vital Energi, and all the contractors who have all worked so tirelessly to deliver this complex project.

"It was a hotly contested category, so we are delighted to win the award in the face of such competition.

"The meticulous planning and collaborative partnership between ourselves and Vital Energi has enabled us to deliver the replacement of our energy and heating provision in both hospitals without impacting on either hospital's patient care. It is good to see the new CHP, Energy Link and boilers up and running and that we are already ahead of target in financial and carbon emission savings."