Tom Keating at the Whittington’s Old Boiler House

THE Whittington’s Old Boiler House is being demolished as the hospital aims to green up its energy use with a modern replacement.

Staff donned hard hats to mark the start of the Power Infrastructure Project on Monday.

The milestone moment was marked by Tom Keating, who joined the trust in 1980 as an apprentice carpenter.

He removed the first brick, as colleagues gathered for one final look inside the chimney before it is carefully dismantled.

The chimney is being carefully dismantled

For decades the Old Boiler House has played many roles across the site – from serving as the hospital’s original energy centre to temporarily housing a mortuary, body store and medical records.

“It has served us well, but it’s time for it to enjoy a well-earned retirement,” the hospital said.

A new energy centre will also help cut carbon emissions by an estimated 80 per cent through the use of electric heat pumps powered by green electricity.