Northcroft Hospital
Overview
Northcroft Hospital in Erdington, part of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, needed a Building Management System upgrade that would improve reliability, strengthen operational visibility and provide a better platform for ongoing support and future estate improvements.
The existing controls arrangement had become increasingly restrictive, limiting access to useful performance data and making it harder for the site team to respond quickly to issues or review how the building was operating over time.
Hills Energy Management Solutions delivered a modernised BMS upgrade that improved access, monitoring and supportability, helping the client move away from an ageing controls platform and towards a more resilient, future-ready solution.
Client requirement
The client required a replacement for obsolete controls hardware and operator interface with a more modern and supportable system that could deliver:
- better visibility of plant performance and historical trends
- simpler, clearer access for site-based operators
- secure remote connectivity for ongoing support
- a stronger foundation for energy review and future optimisation
The requirement was not just to replace outdated equipment, but to provide a more effective management tool for the site team and a more valuable long-term asset for the estate.
The challenge
The previous BMS had become a barrier to efficient building management. Limited data visibility, restricted remote access and ageing hardware made it more difficult to investigate faults, review performance and maintain confidence in the system over time.
In a healthcare environment, that creates unnecessary operational risk. The client needed an upgrade that would not only improve immediate usability, but also support more proactive maintenance, better decision-making and greater confidence in the ongoing performance of key building services.
What we delivered
We replaced the obsolete controls platform with a modern BMS solution and new touchscreen interface, giving the site team a clearer and more accessible view of how the building was operating.
We also delivered secure remote connectivity, enabling authorised off-site access for diagnostics, monitoring and post-handover support. This improves responsiveness, supports a smoother aftercare period and helps reduce avoidable call-outs.
Alongside the physical upgrade, the system was configured to meet the site’s operational needs, existing schematics were reinstated and updated O&M documentation was provided to support future maintenance and ongoing use.
Plant and system functionality
The upgraded BMS now provides central monitoring and control across key site services, including heating, hot water, utility metering and associated safety systems.
This gives the Trust improved visibility of plant status, demand, temperatures, alarms and consumption data through a more capable and user-friendly platform.
By bringing these services together within a modern controls environment, the site team now has a clearer picture of performance, better operational oversight and a stronger basis for both day-to-day management and longer-term estate planning.
The outcome
The project delivered a clear step forward in reliability, usability and long-term value.
The Trust now benefits from improved visibility of building performance, access to longer-term trend data and a system that is easier to support, review and develop over time. This makes it easier to identify issues earlier, assess how plant is operating and support more informed maintenance and optimisation decisions.
Remote connectivity has further improved support arrangements by enabling faster response to issues and reducing unnecessary attendance, helping the client get more value from the system after handover.
Most importantly, the upgrade has provided Northcroft Hospital with a more dependable and future-ready BMS platform — one that not only supports day-to-day operation, but also strengthens the estate’s ability to review performance, evidence improvement works and plan future investment with greater confidence.
